Break Me Open
by g.leland
Summary: Eric Northman had enough on his plate when he discovered orphaned baby vampire Gemma Leland on the side of the road with no recollection of how she got there. As Eric's life begins to spin out of control, it becomes clear that his and Gemma's lives may have a common link, and this link brings them closer than Eric ever intended. Eric/OC
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1**_

My eyes snapped open, but they might as well have still been closed. All around me was darkness. Cold, oppressive darkness. Hunger gripped my insides like a vice, but a hunger I did not recognize. The taste of iron filled my mind and my mouth began to water like a starved dog looking at a piece of raw steak, so fresh it was still oozing blood.

Blood. It hit me like a punch in the stomach. I was craving blood. Confusion and disgust filled every inch of my being. What was wrong with me?

My attention returned to the darkness around me. _Where am I?_ I thought, moving my limbs in an attempt to get my bearings. Damp material moved around my limbs and caved in around me with every move I made. I sniffed, quickly recognizing the smell: dirt. The earth was loose, as if it had been recently disturbed.

Terror gripped my chest, sending me into a panic. Realization hit me so hard that I was overcome with physical pain. I began to frantically try to dig myself out.

By now it was clear. I had been buried.

The soft earth was easily pushed aside by my frenetically-moving arms. Before long, my hands felt fresh air, sending waves of relief coursing through my veins. I quickly pulled myself up, out of the shallow grave and onto the slightly damp grass surrounding it. The sky was dark, though the full moon illuminated the world with an eerie glow. My eyes scanned my surroundings, trying to find anything familiar, but I did not recognize where I was. The grass I sat on was part of a small clearing in the middle of a dense wood. Crickets chirped happily in the background, filling the air with a sense of calm and serenity I would have basked in had it not been for the situation I was in.

Peering apprehensively down at the grave, I gasped. The grave was far too big for one single person. A small wall of dirt separated the two halves of the grave and barely-distinguishable footprints marred the soil, telling me that somebody else had climbed out before I had. My blood ran cold. I covered my face with my hands, filled with a fresh new wave of emotion. Something was wrong here, far more wrong than a psychopath burying two human beings alive, and I couldn't figure out what it was. Quickly, I dropped my hands and looked around me. No one was there, but I still didn't want to linger. Whoever had buried me may return to make sure the job was finished and would not be too happy to find me alive.

I jumped to my feet, looking around to see which way I should go. Unable to see anything past the trees, I picked a random direction and ran. I had to get out of these woods and find a house, a highway, any place with people who could help me.

The trees whipped past me at an unnatural speed. I attributed it to my adrenaline, or maybe just an after-effect of my disorientation. Mentally shaking myself, I kept running, focusing on going in a straight line. My ears strained to hear any kind of noise that would tell me where I was. The sound of the woodland creatures was nearly deafening, but I hear no cars or people. I felt more alone and scared than ever.

Suddenly, the howl of a distant wolf rang out through the quiet night air. I could tell it was far away, but it still heightened my anxiety, making me increase my speed. Another wolf answered back, then a third, creating an unnerving chorus in the distance, a perfect theme song for my desperation.

After a few minutes of running, the trees thinned, revealing a deserted road. I skidded to a halt, looking back and forth for any cars, but I saw nothing. Gazing left and right, I tried to see if there were any signs that would tell me where I was or what town I was near. There were none near me. I weighed my options, my thoughts racing, fueled by panic and adrenaline. There seemed only one course of action for me. I had to pick a direction and walk until I found a sign.

Suddenly, the wolf song rang out again. I jumped. It was much closer than it had been before. And this time, it sounded more like a battle cry than a song.

Taking a deep breath, I turned right and began running down the highway. After a few moments, a large sign came into view. _Shreveport, 5 miles_, sported the sign in big white letters. I wracked my brain for any memories of a place called Shreveport. Nothing came to mind, which made me even more worried. What had happened before I was buried? How far was I from home?

I began to think back to home. My little apartment in Joliet, Illinois brought a smile to my face. It was a small, one bedroom apartment, with scratched wood floors and chipped walls, but it had a special place in my heart. I worked hard to pay for that apartment. I was the manager at Hot Topic in the mall and, believe me, working in a store mainly catering to obnoxious teenagers was a stressful job. I couldn't help but love it, though. There's something special about earning your own money, instead of stealing.

I would never have to steal from anyone ever again. Those days were in my past.

A loud howl behind me shattered my peaceful thoughts. That source could not be more than a few hundred feet away. I immediately stopped, looking around for the source of the sound. The snap of a twig brought my fears to realization. My head slowly turned to my left, painfully aware that I would not find a friendly face looking my way.

I was met by a pair of menacing yellow eyes. A large, gray wolf stepped out into the moonlight, baring its teeth at me. Slowly, emitting a throaty growl, the wolf advanced on me. My mind screamed at me to run, but my feet were rooted to the ground in terror. Helplessly, I watched as two more wolves, equally as terrifying and vicious, emerged from the trees. They surrounded me, staring at me hungrily like I was a cornered deer.

It very quickly became obvious to me that I was being hunted.

"Please, God, just let me get out of this alive," I pleaded in my head, my eyes jumping from wolf to wolf, careful not to miss any signs of an attack. I took a few steps backward, my feet meeting the cold concrete of the highway. The wolves followed me step-for-step, their eyes betraying a desire for my flesh.

The gray wolf, obviously the leader of the three, shattered the silence with a deep growl. The other two followed suit, the harmony of their growls enveloping me in a feeling of desperation. After everything I had just survived, this was not the end I foresaw. I dug myself out of a grave, managed to find my way out of a dark, terrifying woodland, all without having any idea where I was or how I got there. I could not die by being eaten by wolves. My story could not be over so soon.

It was then that my survival instinct kicked in deep within me. Anger pumped through me, burning through my veins, decimating any feelings of horror that remained. A low, guttural snarl escaped my throat, followed by a strange clicking sound within my mouth. I was surprised by these sounds, but did not let them distract me. I could not afford to shift any of my attention anywhere else.

Without any warning, the lead wolf lunged through the air, his jaws open and aimed straight at my throat. Reacting on instinct, I threw out my arms, grabbed the wolf by the neck, and threw him behind me with a powerful swing of my arms. I had no time to marvel at my own actions before both of the other wolves jumped toward me. With a quick sidestep, I managed to dodge one, but I unfortunately stepped directly into the path of the other wolf. His powerful jaws clamped down on my arm, eliciting a scream from me. I fell to my knees, using my other hand to try to pry the wolf's razor-sharp grip from my arm. Before I could succeed, one of the other wolves clamped on to the shoulder of my free arm, pulling me back onto my back. Screaming, I writhed, trying to throw these wolves off me, to no avail. I knew this was the end, but I could not bring myself to give up. If I was going to go down, I was going to take one of these wolves down with me.

The third wolf gripped on to my leg, throwing his head from side to side in an attempt to tear my leg from its socket. With a swift kick, my other foot connected with the wolf's head right in the joint of his jaw. Yelping, the wolf flew several feet, landing hard on his side near the tree line. He quickly recovered, though, and bounded back toward me.

As his padded feet met the pavement, I heard the distinct sound of a car approaching. Headlights illuminated the wolves, who all released their grips on me to look toward the advancing car. With a screech of tires, the car slid to a stop only a few feet away. The headlights were blinding as they pointed straight at me. The driver's side door flew open and a figure stepped out. I had trouble making out the details of the person's appearance because of the bright headlights. Before he or she could come close, my attention was ripped away by the growls of all three wolves. Their lupine faces were all pointed directly at the emerging figure.

With calm steps, the figure advanced on the wolves. I could now tell he was a man, very tall, with blonde hair and a menacing expression on his face. He was dressed all in black, making him look like an angel of death with the backdrop of the bright light and dark forest. I could not bring myself to move as I watched the standoff before me. The wolves glared at the man, who suddenly opened his mouth to snarl terrifyingly back at them. I was shocked to see fangs in the man's mouth. _Shit,_ I thought, _he's a vampire._

Almost too quickly to follow, the vampire attacked the wolves. He went for the leader first, grabbing the animal by the neck and with a quick twist, snapped its neck. When he dropped the dead wolf to the ground, its form suddenly began to quiver. On the ground before me now lay a hairy, muscular man. I shrieked, jumping up to my hands and knees and crawled away, desperate to get away from this nightmare. Behind me, I could still hear the sounds of struggle, but I could only think of one thing: getting away.

Suddenly, the sound behind me stopped. Risking a glance back over my shoulder, I saw the tall vampire crouched above a naked male body, his mouth dripping blood. Horror rooted me to my spot as those vampire eyes turned to me. What was he going to do to me now?

The vampire walked toward me slowly, his face contorted in a look of disgust. When he reached me, he loomed over my cowering form, glaring at me with eyes of blue ice.

"What is wrong with you, vampire," he demanded, grabbing me by the upper arm and yanking me to my feet. "There is no reason those wolves should have been overpowering you."

I stared at him for a few seconds too long, confusion covering my face.

"I am not a vampire," I whispered shakily, trying to take a step back. His hand was still wrapped around the upper part of my arm, a little too hard, holding me to my spot. His glare became angrier with my words as his mouth opened slightly in a sneer.

"Do not insult my intelligence," he sneered. His eyes looked me up and down, taking in the full detail of my appearance. I looked down at myself, also. My body was still covered in dirt, though dried blood mingled with it on my slender arms and legs. My clothes were ripped, revealing pale, firm skin that I did not recognize. My strawberry-blonde hair fell over my shoulders, clumps of dirt tangled in it. I gasped when I looked at my limbs. There should have been nasty gashes and bite marks marring my skin, but my skin was clear. I would not have known the attack ever happened if it weren't for the dried blood.

Suddenly, a look of realization colored the vampire's face. His eyes met mine and he seemed to study me, trying to decipher if what he thought was true. His face morphed into the image of irritation.

"You're a new vampire," he stated, already knowing it was true.

I wanted to protest, but then all those strange happenings of the night flooded my brain: being able to dig myself out of the grave so easily, running at unnatural speed through the woods, kicking the wolf at least twenty feet without the slightest effort, it all suddenly made sense. That was the reason I had been buried in the woods, and not only buried, but with someone else. I did not know much about vampires, only what I heard in the news ever since they "came out of the coffin" years ago, but I did know they were born by being buried with their "makers."

My whole body crumpled to the ground. My hands covered my face as I began to sob uncontrollably. This could not be happening.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everybody! Just wanted to say I am so excited about the positive feedback I've already gotten for Chapter 1 of Break Me Open. I have been working on this story for probably half a year or so and have just gotten the courage to start posting it on here, so thanks for reading! Here is Chapter 2, I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I only own Gemma Leland and part of the plotline. The rest of the plot and characters belongs to Alan Ball and Charlaine Harris.**

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_**Chapter 2**_

I could feel the vampire's cold stare on me as I cried. Tears rolled down my cheeks, dripping from my chin onto my shirt. The full pain and horror I had been feeling since I awoke in the grave surfaced and began to overflow. With each tear, though, I began to feel a little better. Not happy, but a little more able to process what was happening and rationally decide on where to go from there.

The vampire sighed beside me, obviously irritated with this show of emotion.

"You are making a fool of yourself," he muttered. I sniffed, knowing he was right, but the entire situation felt like too much for me to handle. My tears stopped and I began to wipe the wet trails from my face. Looking at my hands, I realized they were covered in blood. I gasped.

"Calm down," said the vampire coolly. "Vampires cry blood. Now, fledgling, what is your name?"

Getting to my feet, I looked the man in the face. Despite the blood drying on his chin, it was obvious he was very attractive. His face was pale and devoid of emotion, giving him the distinct appearance of a marble statue. His piercing blue eyes were locked on mine, waiting for my reply. Sighing, I ripped my eyes away from him, not wishing to embarrass myself any further.

"My name is Gemma Leland," I said quietly. Looking back up at the man beside me, I was suddenly overcome with thankfulness. This man, despite seeming very angry with me, was my savior, and he deserved my respect. "May I ask your name?"

Ignoring my question, he looked back toward his car. "Miss Leland, it would be best if we left before any more werewolves decided to come finish you off. Where is your maker?"

"I don't know," I sighed. "I awoke in a grave, but I was alone. Whoever my maker is, he left before I awoke."

The vampire pondered for a few seconds. Then, with a look of resentful defeat, he looked back toward me. "Well, Miss Leland, we need to get out of here. You may come with me until we can figure out what to do with you."

Leading me to the vehicle, which I now saw was a red convertible, the man was courteous enough to open the passenger door for me. I was touched by the action, until I saw him take off his jacket and place it on the seat. He looked to me, his face very serious.

"Please, try not to touch anything. I'd rather replace a jacket than the interior of my car.

Nodding my head, I carefully situated myself on the seat so I was sitting on the edge, my back and legs not touching the seat. The vampire shut my door before walking over to the driver's side, taking his seat behind the steering wheel. He turned the key in the ignition and stepped on the gas, sending the car shooting forward. Skillfully, he pulled the emergency brake and turned the wheel, sending the car into a 180 degree spin, throwing me back in my seat. Dropping the emergency brake, he stomped on the gas again and we sped down the highway in the way he came.

After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, I decided to take my chances and ask him a few questions.

"Where am I?" I asked.

"We are coming up to Shreveport," he answered monotonously, giving me the impression he thought that I was an idiot.

"I know, I can read the sign," I said, my frustration starting to bubble over. Taking a deep breath, I put myself in check. I had to remember, even if this guy was a jerk, he had still saved me. "I've just never heard of Shreveport, and I've lived in many different parts of Illinois."

The vampire turned his eyes to me, giving me a very strange look. "We aren't in Illinois. This is Shreveport, Louisiana."

"What?" I exclaimed, sitting bolt upright in my seat. "What do you mean Louisiana?"

"Look, Miss Leland, I'm not sure what is wrong with you, but I refuse to believe that you are so stupid as to not understand what Louisiana is."

I growled, my anger getting the best of me again. "I know what Louisiana is. I just don't know how the fuck I got here. I live in Illinois!"

"You have no idea how you got here?" he asked, his expression suddenly changing to that of intrigue. He risked a quick glance over at me, looking into my eyes. "What is the last thing you remember?"

Thinking back, I realized I couldn't remember much. The last thing I remembered was going to work on a Sunday. I remembered it distinctly because I normally didn't work on Sundays. They called me in that day because one of the employees had gotten arrested for driving drunk the night before and they needed somebody to cover his shift.

"I remember going to work on Sunday. I think it was the eleventh. What is today?"

"Miss Leland," the vampire began carefully, "today is Tuesday the twenty-seventh."

I gasped. My last memory was from over two weeks prior. Something had happened in between then and now, leaving me alone and without memory in Louisiana.

"I need to get home," I said with conviction, looking at my vampire companion. "You need to take me to an airport, a bus station, somewhere with a way for me to get back to Illinois."

"Look, I don't think you understand the severity of this situation," he said, not taking his eyes from the road. "You are a fledgling vampire with a missing maker. On top of this, for some reason a group of werewolves had a particular interest in you, and I'm convinced they were not the only ones. They were there to retrieve you. And Miss Leland-"

"Please stop calling me that," I interrupted. "Just call me Gemma."

"Gemma," he sighed, "I am fairly certain your maker is dead. If he were alive, he would be able to call you, alert you to where he is. Have you felt any pull to a certain place?" he asked as the car passed through the city limits, though he did not decrease his speed. Instead, he continued racing at breakneck speed down the streets, expertly maneuvering around other motorists. If I still had a heartbeat, it would have been thundering within my chest.

After thinking for a moment, I answered, "No, not that I know of."

"This feeling is very distinct. You would remember if you felt it," he said. "Do you know why those wolves were after you?"

"No, I have no clue. I didn't even know they were werewolves until after you killed them. I assumed they were just regular old wolves."

"There are very few, if any, wolves in this area. And even if there were any, wolves do not attack humans unprovoked like that, unless they are starving. Those werewolves wanted you specifically and we need to know why," he mused. I was unsure if he was talking to himself at this point or to me.

"Look, mister," I began, growing impatient, "I don't know who you are or where you're taking me, but I think at the very least a name is warranted if you want anything else from me."

The vampire sighed, giving me a sidelong glance. Even with his angered expression, his astonishingly blue eyes still captivated me. Looking back toward the road, he said, "My name is Eric Northman. I am the Sheriff of Louisiana Area 5. I am taking you to my place of business to speak with my associates about what should be done with you. Happy?"

"Not really," I answered truthfully, "but it's better. And to answer your question, I have no clue why those werewolves were after me. I dug myself out of the grave, ran to the highway, and suddenly they attacked me. That is the extent of my night so far."

A few moments of silence passed. I could tell by the look on his face that Eric was processing everything I had said. As for me, I was trying my best not to think about it, which was very difficult. To distract myself, I stared out the window, trying to memorize my surroundings. I wasn't sure why, but maybe at least knowing a little about where I was would help me remember how I got here. After a few minutes, Eric pulled the car off the road into the parking lot of a club. It was very dark, a sign on the front telling me the place was called Fangtasia. Obviously, it was one of those vampire bars I had heard about. When we stopped, both of us quickly opened our doors and stepped out of the car, as if trying to escape the awkward silence.

Without looking at me, Eric walked resolutely toward the front entrance with me following close behind. We walked inside, the building surprisingly empty. A woman stood beside the bar, her elbow rested on the back of a chair. She was thin, of average height, maybe a little tall, and wearing an obscene amount of pink. Nervous, I followed a few feet behind Eric, slouching down as if that would make me harder to see. As we approached, the woman gave Eric a tight smile before her eyes settled on me. It was like a cat looking at a dead mouse. The disgust was practically written on her face, it was so visible.

"Back so soon? I thought you needed to find Lafay…Where did you dig up this…thing?" she drawled, the last word dropping from her mouth like it tasted bad. Completely mortified, I shrunk down even more.

"Pam, I need to see you in my office now," he said, glancing quickly back at me. "We have some business to discuss."

Pam's nose wrinkled as I passed her. I wondered to myself if vampires could blush. _If it is possible_, I thought, _I am as red as a tomato._

I followed Eric down a side hallway and into a spacious office. It was a typical office, though I wasn't sure what I expected. Organization was not just a human thing. Against the wall sat a leather couch that I was tempted to sit in, but seeing the condemning look on Eric's face, I decided it was not a good idea.

Soon after we entered, the door opened and Pam entered the room followed by a heavy, dark haired male vampire in a suit. Even before he looked at me, he looked like he had a permanent bad taste in his mouth, but when his eyes were able to take in my appearance, you would have thought he just ate animal droppings.

"Eric, what is this thing and why is it with you?" Pam asked. The way she drew out her words, it sounded like she was incredibly bored, though the irritated look on her face spoke volumes to the contrary.

"This is Gemma Leland, I found her in the road being attacked by a group of werewolves," Eric said as if I wasn't there, not even sparing me a glance. I might as well have been invisible. "She is a new vampire and, if I am correct in my guess, her maker is dead."

The fat vampire looked at me with a pinched expression. "So what are we supposed to do with her?"

Eric sighed, sitting down at his desk. "I do not know, Chow, I have never had to deal with a situation like this. We cannot just leave her to her own devices. She is ignorant of vampire laws and even how to deal with her own urges. Any situation involving her would make its way back to me. We need to find a pseudo-maker to act as a mentor to her until she is able to exist on her own."

"And who is supposed to do that?" Pam demanded. The look in her eyes as she glared at me seemed to scream "you will not be my responsibility."

"Eric, this should not be our problem. You found her at the side of the road, and as far as I'm concerned, she should have been left there," the fat vampire, Chow, spat. "Take her to the Queen. She should find some place for her."

"I already know what Sophie-Anne would say," Eric growled, his pale hand clenching into a tight fist. "I hate to get her involved in petty problems."

"I don't think we have a choice," Pam chimed in, giving me another disgusted look. That finally broke me. I could not take the passive-aggressiveness anymore.

"Look, I understand that this is a big inconvenience to you," I interjected, finally fed up, "but I am here, you know. Shouldn't I have any say in what happens?"

All three pairs of eyes turned to me, the same irritated expression in all of them. A few tense moments passed, making me uncomfortable. It's terribly intimidating to have one vampire staring at you, even worse three. Eric was the first to speak. "Well, Miss Leland, what is it you propose we do?"

"I want to go back home," I stated matter-of-factly. "I lived in Illinois my whole life. I have an apartment, a job, a life back in Joliet. I don't need to be any of your problem. Just help me get a bus ticket and I'll be on my way."

Eric looked to Pam and Chow, seemingly conversing with them only with his eyes.

"Leave us, please," Eric said gruffly. Without protest, both vampires exited the room, leaving me alone with the tall, blonde vampire. This made me feel exposed, even though I knew neither Pam nor Chow would protect me in any situation. Eric turned away from me, looking down at the papers on his desk, making me feel like I was being ignored. After a few seconds, Eric turned back to me.

"I'm afraid I cannot just contact the Sheriff of your area in Illinois. Though I would love to be rid of this responsibility, vampire politics is a complicated playground," he muttered, standing up so that he was looking down into my face. I felt like a child being told why the sky is blue and that no matter how much I wanted it to be purple, there was nothing I could do about it. "You were buried in Area 5, your maker is missing, and you are a liability to the vampire community as a whole. Since the Great Awakening, we have worked hard to make relations between vampires and humans as civil as possible. A baby vampire on the loose, unable to control herself would be detrimental. We will need to see the Queen, as much as I hate it, to see what will be done with you. If it were up to me, you would be staked to insure against any problems."

I swallowed, suddenly fearful of this vampire. Though he did save my life earlier, it was clear that my life was not valuable to him in the least. Eric stared off into space, obviously deep in thought. I wrung my hands, uncomfortable in this silence. Finally, I just had to break it.

"Then why did you save me from those werewolves?" I asked, unable to contain my curiosity. There had to be a good reason, I hoped.

I was wrong. With a smirk on his face, Eric looked down into my eyes. "I have been having a terrible week. I needed a good kill to relieve some stress."

With that, the tall, blonde vampire opened the door and walked out of the office, leaving me all alone.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except Gemma. Some of the plotline associated with her is my own, but the rest comes from True Blood Season 3, the property of Alan Ball, based on the Southern Vampire series written by Charlaine Harris. Hope you enjoy!**_

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_**Chapter 3**_

_Eric Northman_

The idea of facing Queen Sophie-Anne so soon after our little confrontation earlier that night was more than I could bear. The Magister was dangerously close to discovering our roles in the surges of V sales and uses. He had managed to work out that a vampire was willfully giving his or her own blood up for sale and seemed to have Sophie-Anne and me in his sights as the culprits. As a result, the lovely Queen was demanding that I get rid of all the V immediately to cover our tracks. She also wanted me to sell Fangtasia along with everything else I own to give her money to get the IRS off her back.

Selfish bitch.

And the worst part of it was Bill Compton, the only one who could link us to this entire situation, was missing without a trace. Evidently, after proposing to Sookie, he had been kidnapped, but by whom, I had no idea. I hoped he was dead. Not only would it destroy the only solid link the Magister could find, it would also leave Sookie wide open to me. She would be alone, grieving, and in desperate need of some male affection. And I would be there to give it to her.

As if I didn't have enough on my plate. Now I had a lost baby vampire on my hands. As appealing as the idea of staking her was to me at this moment, I did not need any more vampire blood on my hands. After everything I was being accused of, even a whisper of the death of a vampire in my area, by my own hands none the less, would spell the end of me.

Sophie-Anne had better understand the severity of this situation, particularly at this very critical time.

Something about this fledgling fascinated me, though. I had never dealt with a Maker abandoning his progeny before and somehow this vampire either released her before she awoke or was killed. I was almost positive the latter was the case, considering the werewolves that attacked Gemma shortly after her awakening. Something was very important about her to them and I highly doubted they were the only ones that thought so. It was obvious they were sent to retrieve her, most likely by the Alpha of their pack. As much as I wracked my brain, no valid reason came to mind.

Though I hate to admit it, this baby vampire awakened a strange feeling in me. It was a sort of sympathetic protectiveness, the kind of feeling one would get when finding a cat at the side of the road with a broken leg. I felt compelled to take her in and nurse her back to health. A ridiculous, worthless feeling this was. I hated myself just for allowing this weakness.

Suddenly, her words snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Then why did you save me from those werewolves?" she asked. I looked down into her emerald-green eyes. So much vulnerability filled those words, it made me ache for her. She had a beautiful face, milky white and looking at me like I was some sort of savior. Quickly, though, I regained my composure and managed to plaster a self-assured smirk on my face.

"I have been having a terrible week. I needed a good kill to relieve some stress," I forced myself to say. It was true, but only partially.

I turned away, but not before seeing the crestfallen look that overtook her. Unable to handle the rush of emotions I was feeling, I yanked the door open and strode out.

_Gemma Leland_

Tears threatened to fall from my eyes as I watched Eric walk out that door. I had never felt as alone in my life as I did standing in that office. Even after my mom died when I was 16, I still had some friends and my boyfriend at the time to make me feel like I had somebody that cared. I may have been completely wrong, but at least I had the illusion of love for a little while. In that office, though, I had absolutely nobody on my side. On top of that I was hundreds of miles away from home, stuck with a group of vampires who would gladly have me put down like a stray.

_What am I doing feeling sorry for myself?_ I thought angrily. Okay, so Eric was a self-righteous asshole. So what? He wasn't my father, I was not stuck with him. This was nothing like being stuck with my mother for my whole life.

My mother was a drug addict, blowing every cent we ever got chasing her next high. For most of my childhood, we lived on the street or couch-surfed, staying in the filthy homes of drug-dealers my mother was sleeping with to get drugs and food or fair-weather friends she found who just wanted somebody to smoke with so they could temporarily forget how sad and lonely they were. Then, I was forced to put up with her until she finally released me by killing herself. I had no ties to Eric. He could not keep me there.

With a new sense of determination, I stormed out of the office and down the hall to the main club area. The room was empty, save for Eric and Pam, who looked like they were in the middle of a very heated discussion before I walked in. I only spared them a passing glance, making sure they saw just how aggravated I was. With quick steps, I walked straight out the front door before anybody could stop me.

I was halfway across the parking lot when I was stopped in my tracks. Eric Northman ran in front of me, blocking my path. His eyes were filled with fire. It would have struck fear into me if I were not already determined to leave him behind.

"Where do you think you're going?" he demanded, his voice low, barely speaking above a grumble. I clenched my jaw, returning his irate stare tenfold.

"What does it matter to you?" I shouted. "You aren't my 'Maker,' so you can't keep me here. And it's obvious you don't want me here, anyway, so why not just let me go?"

A look passed over Eric's face so fast, I could not quite decipher what it was. If it weren't for my heightened vampire sense, I probably wouldn't have even noticed it before it was gone, once again replaced with his signature condescending air.

"Miss Leland, you have not had a chance to feed, you are not thinking clearly. Come back in and I will give you some blood, then tomorrow we can see the Queen and get her ruling on where you will go," he answered levelly. The mention of blood reminded me of my hunger, which I quickly realized was even worse than before. Eric must have noticed the crack in my stony façade because he quickly descended on me. His hand was on the small of my back, leading me back toward the club. The rational part of my brain was telling me to dig my heels into the ground and tell Eric to take his blood and shove it up his ass. Unfortunately, that part of my brain was being drowned out the by the screams of my vampire brain, dying for a drink of human blood.

As we walked into Fangtasia, my mouth began to water. The scent of humans tainted every inch of this place, something I hadn't noticed earlier when I was overcome with fear, telling me it was not strictly a vampire bar. I imagined those humans walking around, blood pulsing through their veins. It scared me that I thought of humans only as a meal, but in my hungered state, I had absolutely no control over my thoughts.

Eric quickly led me back to his office. This time, however, he allowed me to sit on the couch.

"Stay here while I find you someone to eat," he said, smiling coyly at his own joke. With that, he exited the office, pulling the door closed behind him.

I quickly jumped to my feet, desperate to find something to at least temporarily take my mind off my hunger. However, still unused to my new strength, I misjudged the jump and flew several feet across the room, knocking into the filing cabinet. The large, heavy filing cabinet slid almost a foot to the side from the force of my hit, revealing a small cooler. I stared down at it for a second, more than a little surprised to find this item in Eric's office. He did not seem like the type to have a cheap plastic cooler. Then again, I knew very little about vampires, in particular Eric. I picked up the cooler, curious about what a vampire would possibly need to keep cool. Was it a human heart or something else equally as morbid?

My nosiness got the best of me. I looked to the door, listening hard to make sure nobody was coming. When I was satisfied it was safe, I opened the top, high on excitement and anticipation.

A gasp escaped my lips when I saw what was inside. Several large vials were packed carefully into the cooler. I plucked one out, examining the dark liquid within. I was elated to see that it was clearly blood inside the vials. A sharp click sound came from my mouth at the thought of drinking the precious liquid. My finger reached up to my mouth, feeling for the source of the sound. I nearly jumped out of my skin when my index finger was met by two razor-sharp fangs, descending from my top jaw.

Suddenly, everything became real. I was really a vampire. I had the fangs to prove it. The heightened senses, the inhuman strength, even the excessive desire for blood had not solidified the idea in my mind. It all felt like a dream before, but the feel of those fangs bathed me in a feeling strangely like waking up.

Frantically, I dropped the cooler on the desk and unscrewed the cap of the vial, ready to dump the whole thing into my mouth. However, before the blood even touched my lips, I was met by a strange smell. Sniffing the liquid, I quickly pulled it away, repulsed by it. This was definitely not human blood I was holding. Though the thought of human blood excited me, this stuff didn't smell appealing at all. A strong feeling of disappointment filled me as I replaced the cap and returned the vial to the cooler.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of footsteps coming from the other side of the door. Fearful of what Eric would do if he saw me going through his things, I slammed the lid of the cooler closed. As soon as I returned the cooler to its hiding place, the door swung open and Eric walked in, followed closely by a young woman with black hair, black clothing, and very thick black eyeliner. Eric shot me a suspicious look as I leaned against the filing cabinet, trying to look innocent.

"What is wrong with you?" he asked, then his eyes traveled to the item I was resting my weight on. "Why is my filing cabinet moved?"

"I jumped up too quickly and I flew into it," I said truthfully, trying to look bashful. "I guess I'm not quite used to my newly-acquired strength."

Eric's blue eyes lingered on me, obviously doubtful, but did not dwell on it. Instead, with a cunning smile, he led me over to the couch where the goth girl now sat.

"Gemma, this is Skylar. She is willing to 'donate' some of her blood to you," he said, placing his hand on the girl's shoulder. Skylar looked over at me with a smile, though I could tell by the look in her eyes that she was scared. I would have told her it would be alright if I weren't so transfixed on her pulsing jugular vein.

Kneeling down before her, Eric locked eyes with Skylar, his icy blues hard and focused. Skylar's face suddenly went slack as her eyes glossed over. I watched in rapt anticipation, anxious to get a taste of this girl's blood.

"Now, Skylar," Eric began, speaking to the girl in a slow, soothing tone that even made me feel a little more relaxed, "Gemma is going to drink your blood. You want her to do this, remember?"

Still looking as if she was in a trance, Skylar answered, "Yes, I want her to drink my blood."

"And you will not scream, no matter how much it hurts, do you understand?"

"Yes," she answered. Confused, I looked back and forth between the two, trying to decipher what was happening.

"Um, Eric, what are you doing to this girl?" I inquired.

Breaking his eye contact with the goth girl, Eric's eyes met mine. "I glamoured her. I do not want Skylar here screaming while I teach you how to drink from a human. Feeding from a human is…frowned upon in public settings."

I looked over at Skylar, unsure how to answer the vampire. I was scared of feeding directly from this girl. I didn't want to hurt her, but I need the blood so bad. And how was I supposed to know where to sink my fangs? Or even more important, how would I know when to stop?

As if he was reading my mind, Eric grabbed my attention. "Do not worry, I will make sure you do not kill her."

Skylar's gaze shot to him at those words, her face the image of shock and fear. Ignoring her, Eric continued talking to me.

"Now, first, you need to push her head to the side so you get a good view of her neck," Eric said, putting his hand on the side of Skylar's face and pushing her head to the side. Her jugular vein pulsed beneath the skin, the sound of her blood whooshing in my ears. My fangs clicked again as they descended, obviously responding from the desire I felt.

"Bite her."

I didn't need to be told twice. Without even thinking, I sunk my fangs into Skylar's neck, eliciting a small yelp from her, but she did not scream. The blood gushed into my mouth, tasting better than anything I had ever tasted in my whole life. I swallowed it in huge gulps, completely lost in my own euphoria. I moaned softly, unintentionally, but the pleasure this girl's blood gave me was beyond any pleasure I had ever felt. More than anything, I wanted to suck every ounce of blood out of her body.

Skylar's breathing was short and rapid, her heart pounding as I drank from her. After a few seconds, her breathing slowed, as did her heart. I did not stop. I would have sucked her completely dry if a pair of arms did not circle me, yanking me away from the helpless girl.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note: I just wanted to say how awesome I think you guys are! I have gotten an overwhelmingly positive response through favorites, follows, reviews, and even private messages. I am so excited that you all like my little story. You guys definitely make this story more fun!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own Gemma Leland and part of the plotline connected to her. The rest of the characters and plot belong to Alan Ball, creator of True Blood, based on the Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris.**_

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_**Chapter 4**_

"Let me go!" I shouted, fighting against the hands holding me in place. Even as I watched Skylar's head loll to the side, her strength completely drained, all I wanted was more of that blood.

"Gemma, get ahold of yourself," Eric said gruffly, suddenly spinning me around so I was facing him, snapping me out of my frenzy. "You can't kill her."

I looked into Eric's eyes, becoming myself again. My shoulders slumped as I put my hands over my face. The magnitude of what I just did hit me with the force of a train. I had no self-control, I fed on living humans, and I could kill without a second thought.

I collapsed into Eric's arms. Tears threatened to fall from my eyes as Eric held me to him, seemingly trying to comfort me. I took several deep breaths, trying to calm myself down, while Eric awkwardly rubbed my back. Suddenly, Eric's hands disappeared from me and I looked up to see him pick Skylar up and carry her out of the room. Unable to move, I just stared at the open door in disbelief.

_Eric Northman_

I watched as Gemma sunk her teeth into the girl's neck, any inhibition or sign of humanity gone. It was a little shocking to see a sweet, innocent young girl transform so suddenly into a ruthless killer. This new side of Gemma was disconcerting, her beauty warped into a terrible mask of hunger.

I was so enraptured by her transformation that I almost didn't stop her in time. As the human girl's muscles began to go limp, I realized Gemma was sucking the life out of her. With a swift movement, I wrapped my arms around Gemma, yanking her away from the nearly lifeless body.

Gemma thrashed against me, desperate to return to her victim. It took nearly all my strength to hold her back. I spun her around and pinned her to my chest as she screamed, "Let me go!" I knew I had to calm Gemma down. I whispered in her ear to stop, that she couldn't kill the girl. Suddenly, she went limp in my arms. Looking down, I saw her hands fly up to her face, covering it in despair.

Emotions overtook me. Her anguish was tangible as I held her to me. I felt her pain almost as if it was my own and I felt compelled to try to comfort her, so I began to rub her back, a gesture that was very unnatural to me. After a few moments, she seemed to relax a little bit.

My reaction to her sudden emotion took me by surprise and I could not handle it. Without a word, I let Gemma go, walking over to the limp body of the human. I barely felt her as I picked her up into my arms and carried her out of my office.

I was angry with myself. I barely knew this girl, she was a thorn in my side, yet I was letting her get to me. When she was upset, I wanted to fly in and save her. When she looked at me with those trusting eyes, I felt like a god. I never felt emotions this intense for anyone, not even Sookie.

My mind drifted to Sookie Stackhouse. Her sweet face, her warm brown eyes, the melody of her voice as she said my name, it all made something stir in me. Sometimes, I thought it was love, but other times she made me so angry I wanted to rip her apart like the weak, pathetic human she was. There was a fire inside her, though, that turned me on. Also, I could not stand that Bill Compton. He wasn't what Sookie thought he was and I wanted to destroy him by stealing her away. It would be so sweet to see the pain in his eyes.

But then there was Gemma. She awakened in me emotions I haven't felt for a thousand years, since before I was turned. She was so vulnerable, so pure, yet there was anger bubbling under the surface: anger at the maker who abandoned her, anger at the wolves for attacking her, even anger at me for keeping her here when she wanted to go home. I wanted to protect her and keep her safe, yet there was a part of me that wanted to push her buttons, get her to fight back, to explode. I wanted to see if she had that fire I loved in a woman, without being so breakable the way Sookie was.

Infuriated by my thoughts, I stormed up to the bar. A single human male sat there, dressed in a similarly awful getup as Skylar. They had arrived together, hoping to get into the club, unaware that we were closed. Poor, unlucky souls.

"Excuse me," I said in a condescending tone. The young man, more of a boy in my opinion, turned and looked up at me. His brown eyes went wide when he saw me, then even wider when he saw the girl in my arms.

"What did you do to my girlfriend?" he demanded, trying to sound angry, but his voice deceived him, betraying his terror with cracks and squeaks.

"She seems to have enjoyed herself a little too much," I answered with a sneer. "I suggest you take her home and when she wakes up, make sure she gets plenty of water."

I dropped the girl into his arms, causing him to stumble and nearly drop her. Luckily for her, he regained his footing and, too afraid to look back, walked out the door. Relieved, I sighed.

"Your baby vampire get a little too enthusiastic?" Pam chided sarcastically, earning a murderous glare from me.

"Don't start with me, Pam. I had enough of this shit when I turned you, I don't want to deal with it from a vampire I didn't even create."

Pam scoffed, looking down at her perfectly-manicured nails.

"You have a soft spot for her, I can tell. And I thought you were infatuated with that Sookie Stackhouse. Funny."

I turned to Pam, positively fuming. "I am not infatuated with anyone, and I am only keeping this child with me because I have a duty as Sheriff. And let's not forget the Magister already has me in his crosshairs. I don't need any other reason to have him poking around here."

"Speaking of the Magister," Pam drawled, speaking softly, "when are you going to have your little talk with Lafayette? You have enough you-know-what here to have all of us killed. You need to get it out of here. I'm not willing to face the True Death for Her Majesty."

"I don't have time to deal with him," I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. Thinking quickly, I tried to come up with a decent plan for the predicament into which I had gotten Pam and myself. I looked over at Pam. "You go track down Lafayette. Let him know that it is imperative that he gets rid of the V by tomorrow. I will pay him a quick visit to make sure he gets it done."

"What will you do with the nasty creature in your office?" Pam asked. By the way she said "nasty creature," I assumed she was talking about Gemma.

"I'm going to take her to Sophie-Anne the minute she takes a shower. Maybe if we make her look presentable, the Queen will decide to take her off our hands."

With that, Pam turned, preparing to run to Merlotte's to find Lafayette.

"Pam," I said quickly. She turned and looked at me. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out a check I had written earlier that night. "While you're out, give this to Sookie."

_Gemma Leland_

I had been sitting in Eric's office for an excruciatingly long time. In the silence, all I could think about was the uncontrollable bloodlust I had experienced when drinking from that girl. I had tasted blood before when I was human. It tasted disgusting, like warm liquid iron. Now, as a vampire, it tasted like a completely different substance. No words could describe the heavenly mixture of sweet and salt that was human blood. It was intoxicating, immediately addicting in a way no drug could be.

Trying to take my mind off of the blood, I looked down at myself. I was still filthy, my hair still in dirty knots, blood and dirt still staining every inch of my skin. To add to that, I could feel fresh blood drying on my chin. I knew I must have been a horrifying sight.

Unexpectedly, Eric came speeding through the door, making me jump.

"My God, you look terrible," he said, looking me up and down.

"Well, if you would let me shower, I wouldn't look so fresh from the grave," I countered venomously.

"No need to be so touchy," he said, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. "I am going to take you somewhere to get you all cleaned up."

Eric led me out to his car, his hand on the small of my back the whole time like he was afraid I'd try to run away. Once I was safely in the car, Eric got into the driver's seat and before I knew it, we were flying down the road into Shreveport. After a few minutes, we ended up in the parking lot of a hotel.

"Really?" I demanded, glaring at him. "You're going to make me shower at a hotel?"

"Well, dear Gemma, there is no shower at Fangtasia and I never allow anyone to see my house other than Pam for safety purposes, so there aren't many other options," he said sarcastically, flashing me an infuriating smile. I became so angry, if I were a cartoon, smoke would be pouring out of my ears.

Unable to fight him, I threw open my door. As I slammed the door behind me, I suddenly realized Eric was by my side. I gasped, grabbing my chest out of human habit.

"Jesus Christ, Eric, do you really need to use vamp speed all the time?"

Eric just smiled, obviously happy with himself. He was determined to get under my skin, that was for certain. From what I could tell, Eric's favorite pastime was aggravating those around him.

"Do you really need to come with me?" I queried, folding my arms over my chest in a childish attempt to show my dissatisfaction.

"You are not yet skilled in how to glamour humans," Eric answered stiffly, looking over at me. "Trust me, sweetheart, I'm not coming to watch you shower. How did you think you were going to get in a hotel room by yourself?"

We walked silently through the hotel doors, approaching the front desk. Eric turned to me, gesturing to me to walk to the other side of the lobby so no one would see the full extent of my grotesque appearance. I was perturbed, but I understood his reasoning, so I walked across the lobby, standing by a mirror so I could watch Eric discreetly.

A skinny man in a maroon vest stood behind the desk, typing on a computer. As Eric approached him, he looked up at him, flashing a million-dollar smile.

"How can I help you tonight, sir?" he asked, his voice overly-perky and high-pitched. Placing his elbows on the desk, Eric leaned forward, locking eyes with the desk clerk. At first, the man backed away, but soon enough his face went slack just like what happened to Skylar earlier.

"What is your name?" Eric asked in his soft, sultry glamour voice.

"Carver," the man answered dazedly.

"Carver, are there any open rooms tonight? My friend and I just need to use a shower."

"Yes, there is nobody in room 205."

"That's great. I'm going to need the key to room 205. Where is it?" Eric asked.

"There are no set room keys," the man answered. "You take the plastic card and put it in the machine and the computer does the rest."

"Well, Carver, you are going to make a room key for room 205, and then you're going to set it on the desk. After you do that, you will turn around and fix the buttons on your vest. You will forget you made the room key and that you ever saw us," Eric stated. After he said that, he broke eye contact with him, looking over to me. His eyes met mine in the mirror. He smirked at the amazed look on my face.

Looking as if nothing happened, Carver began typing something in the computer. Then, he grabbed a plastic card key from a pile next to the computer screen, stuck it in a little machine, pulled it out and set it on the desk, all without looking at Eric or me. Carver quickly turned his back to us, looking down at his vest and adjusting something on it. Noiselessly, Eric grabbed the key, gestured for me to follow him, and walked out of the lobby toward the rooms.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note: Hey everybody, thank you so much for the reviews, they have meant so much to me. So this is a chapter that almost caused a lot of problems. All of these past chapters I wrote several months ago, so I have just been proofreading, making necessary grammar changes, then posting them. Well, this one somehow managed to hold a major story flaw involving the werewolves that I did not catch when I wrote the chapter or the two times I proofread it. I did not end up catching the mistake until much later when I was taking a shower! Wow, stupid me. Well, thankfully I got it all cleaned up and even managed to make the next couple chapters I have already written flow more smoothly.**_

_**So once again, thanks to all you awesome readers! If it wasn't for your encouragement, I'm not sure I would have paid enough attention to catch my own mistake.**_

_**Disclaimer: I own Gemma Leland and part of the plot associated with her. The rest belongs to Alan Ball, the creator of True Blood, and Charlaine Harris, the author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels.**_

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**_Chapter 5_**

Eric and I walked up to room 205. When Eric slid the key into the door, the light above the lock turned green, signaling that it was unlocked. He turned the handle, opening the door for me.

"After you," Eric said, gently pushing me into the room. Giving him a hateful glare, I stepped inside. The hotel room obviously hadn't been used for a while because the two full-sized beds were perfectly made, the floor was spotless, and the television screen was speckled with dust. I flipped on the light to the bathroom and stepped in. Several towels were folded and ready for me. Small bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body soap were arranged next to the sink.

Looking over my shoulder, I saw Eric standing just outside the doorway, a devious smirk on his face.

"Well come on," he said, "you can't take a shower with your clothes on."

"What am I supposed to do when I'm done? I can't change back into those filthy clothes and I'm sure as hell not running around naked," I spat back. Eric's face became stony, obviously thinking of an answer.

"You didn't think about that, did you?" I asked with a chuckle.

"Just take your shower," Eric answered. "By the time you're done, everything will be taken care of."

With that, Eric pulled the bathroom door shut. Turning toward the shower, I unfortunately caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I gasped, shocked by what a terror I looked like. My usually strawberry-blonde hair was stained brown by the dirt that hung in clumps around my face and shoulders. My skin was almost invisible through the dirt and blood on my face. There was one thing, though, that really struck me. My normally hazel eyes were bright green, shining with a light from within. The brown that has always lined my pupil was smaller, almost unnoticed next to the vibrant forest color. My eyes were so beautiful, so bright, I almost didn't believe they were mine.

It took me a moment to rip myself away from that mirror. Turning away from it, I quickly stripped off my clothes, stuffed them into the tiny garbage can under the sink, grabbed the miniature soap bottles, and jumped into the shower.

The next fifteen minutes were like heaven. It took quite a bit of scrubbing to get the mud and blood off my skin and out of my hair, but with the help of a washcloth and all the soap in that bathroom, I was eventually clean. I stepped out of the shower and wrapped myself in one of the undersized white towels the hotel provided. It just barely covered all my private parts, so I made sure to walk carefully.

When I opened the door and walked out into the room, Eric was sitting on the bed, watching an episode of The Big Bang Theory on the dusty television. In the dim light of the hotel lamp, I could not help but notice an undeniable sexiness about him. Eric was obviously attractive, that I realized from the moment I first saw him a few hours ago. However, sitting on the bed, pressed up against the headboard, he had this added sultriness that made me believe he wasn't quite as heartless as he seemed, that he would stick around to cuddle even after some good sex. He was an enigma that I really wanted to figure out.

"How can humans watch this idiocy?" Eric asked, his eyes never leaving the television screen. "None of the things they do make any sense. Why doesn't the small human just tell the blonde he wants to fuck her already?"

I let out a loud bark of laughter, completely taken by the hilarity of his words. Seeing a vampire watch sitcoms is a truly entertaining experience. Shaking my head, I looked over at the desk beside the entertainment center. On top of it were a pile of clothes, perfectly folded, a pair of black flats, and even a round hairbrush. I was touched that Eric had thought about all the things I would need and had gotten those items for me.

"Where did you get this stuff?" I asked, picking up the piece of clothing on top. It was a lacy black bra, surprisingly in my size, with a matching pair of panties. I looked at him with one eyebrow raised. "How did you know my bra size?"

Eric did not even look away from the television as he answered me. "I've known many women in my lifetime. They are somewhat of a hobby of mine. Guessing breast size based on only a few looks or feels is a skill I've picked up," he answered with a shrug, as if he was telling me that he enjoyed model cars and could tell by looking at one what make, model, and year it was. I rolled my eyes, not wanting to know any more.

I got dressed quickly, soon realizing the outfit Eric had picked out for me was rather more on the revealing side than I was used to. The top was a white, lace-up corset type of shirt, which combined with the push-up bra gave me rather over-the-top cleavage. The navy jeans were also tight, but thankfully not so much that I had a muffin top. I would have expected something like six-inch stilettos after looking at the rest of the outfit, but I was grateful for the comfortable flats instead. Once my hair was all brushed out, I walked out into the bedroom.

_Eric Northman_

I heard her soft padded footsteps as she walked out into the room. Looking up, my eyes met the piercing green orbs of somebody I did not recognize. Her porcelain skin was flawless, freckles dotting her face slightly on her cheeks. Her petite body looked perfect in the outfit I picked out for her. My eyes settled on her breasts, taken aback by how amazing they looked pressed up by the bra and tight shirt. I had to admit, she looked even more amazing than I realized.

Gemma's arms crossed over her chest, forcing me to look up into her face. She was glaring at me, though behind the angry eyes I knew she was secretly flattered. What woman isn't flattered by open admiration of her body?

"Did you really need to pick out such tight clothing?" she demanded, turning to look at herself in the floor-length mirror stuck to the wall by the door. It was clear she approved of the new look, but she was determined to seem otherwise.

"I like when the women in my presence look appealing," I admitted, still admiring her. It was hard to tell when she was caked in filth just how breathtaking she really was. Looking at her, I found myself nearly forgetting about Sookie. Almost. This beautiful vampire was perfectly fuckable, but I still wanted that human woman so bad, it pained me. I wished she would love me back, choose to be mine instead of Bill's, but that would never happen as long as she believed he loved her.

"You have sad eyes," Gemma said quietly, sitting on the edge of the bed. My eyes snapped to her in surprise. She looked back at me with pity and concern. I felt embarrassed that she saw the crack in my armor and I quickly put my haughty, condescending mask back on.

"If I'm sad, Miss Leland, it's because I'm stuck with a baby vampire that isn't mine. Let's get you to the Queen already so I can hopefully get you off my back," I said coldly, pushing myself off the bed to my feet. Without another look at her, I brushed past her, opened the door to the room, and walked out into the hall.

"What about all my dirty clothes and stuff?" she asked, making me stop in my tracks. "Shouldn't we clean this place up?"

"Leave it. It's not our problem anymore." I turned and looked at her with an icy smile. "We were never here, remember?"

_Gemma Leland_

I was fuming as I got into Eric's car. He had a way of making me feel like shit for trying to get to know him. Maybe I wasn't his progeny, but that didn't mean I chose for this to happen to me. And I certainly didn't choose him to drive up and save me from those wolves. He just as easily could have driven by or left me after he killed the wolves if he didn't want anything to do with me.

Despite my anger with him, I couldn't help but think about the incredible sadness I saw in Eric's blue eyes back in that room. I knew that look; I had seen it in the mirror many times throughout my life. It was the sad, lonely look of someone with a broken heart. What could have possibly broken Eric's icy, non-beating heart?

As he sat down in the driver's seat, Eric's phone began to ring. He answered, his voice strained. I could tell he was talking to Pam, but I could not tell what they were saying to each other because they were speaking in a different language. Not that I was very interested in what they were saying. I was not particularly fond of Pam, or Eric for that matter. After a few seconds, Eric ended the call. With a huff of frustration, he started the car and slammed it into reverse, throwing me forward in my seat.

"What's going on?" I demanded, straightening my top.

"I have business to attend to at Fangtasia, unfortunately. Hopefully it will be quick."

"Yes, of course, we wouldn't want you to be put out by my presence too much longer, would we?" I spat venomously. He did not answer, instead simply turned his head and glared at me.

We were soon parked in front of Fangtasia. With his superhuman speed, Eric was out of the car and through the front door before I even had my seatbelt off. Sighing, I chose to take my time. Just because I could be fast did not mean I had to be. And every second I did not have to spend with Eric was a moment of freedom.

When I finally walked into the club, Eric was standing near the bar, staring at a piece of paper in his hand. A short, blonde woman stood in front of him, her back to me, speaking rapidly to him. Pam was leaning against the bar, a redheaded vampire standing beside her. No one noticed when I walked in, so I just stood by the entrance.

"You found this branded on a dead man's neck?" Eric asked the woman.

"Bill summoned Jessica there," she answered, her face turning toward the redheaded vampire. "I think he was trying to show us who kidnapped him."

I looked to Eric in confusion. He did not look at me, though I knew he must be aware I was inside. Someone had been kidnapped. Was this normal with vampires?

"Nazi werewolves," Jessica said, strangely happy despite the situation.

Gasping, I put my hand to my mouth. Suddenly, I saw those werewolves that had attacked me by the highway as clear as if they were right in front of me. Their glowing yellow eyes stared at me from the darkness, ready to tear me to shreds.

Every eye in the room was locked on me. I met every one of them, embarrassed. Turning back to Eric, the blonde girl asked, "Who is she?"

Eric stared at me coldly, unhappy that I had made my presence known, it seemed. I couldn't help it. First, I had been attacked by these werewolves. Now, it seemed they had taken another vampire by the name of Bill. Were the werewolves that had come after me the same as the ones that had kidnapped him?

"That is a baby vampire I intend to dispose of very soon," he grumbled. "Do not mind her."

Giving me an unsure look, Sookie turned back to Eric. I could not even bring myself to get mad at Eric's comment. I was too focused on my own thoughts.

"That dead guy was strong and fast enough to take Bill, he had to be something supernatural. I was hoping you could tell us more."

Eric's face was devoid of emotion, but I could tell this conversation was bothering him. I didn't blame him. If werewolves were anything like in the movies, they were evil and murderous. There was no way I would volunteer to deal with that.

"Never seen it before, sorry," Eric stated, throwing the card down on the table that separated him and the blonde. There was something about the way he said it that made me think he wasn't exactly telling the truth. I began to wonder if Eric knew more about my attackers than he was telling me.

"Why do I get the feeling you're blowing me off?" she asked, her voice tinged with aggravation. Whoever this Bill was, he must have meant a great deal to her. I began to feel very sympathetic toward her.

Eric cast his eyes shiftily from side to side, looking like he was backed into a corner. He turned his gaze over to Pam and said something I did not understand, to which Pam answered with a nod.

"Let's go to the ladies' room and stare at ourselves in the mirror," she said, getting the attention of Jessica. She turned her eyes to me, obviously indicating that she was speaking to me, also. With a sigh, I followed them. I wanted to hear more about the werewolves, but this was a conversation I wasn't invited to attend.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer: I own Gemma Leland and part of the plot line associated with her. The rest of the characters and plot belong to Alan Ball, creator of the HBO series True Blood, and Charlaine Harris, the author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels.**_

_**Chapter 6**_

When we stepped into the restroom, Pam walked straight up to the sink. She opened up her purse and pulled out a stick of lip liner. Jessica put her hands on the other sink, watching Pam intently. She seemed eager to say something, but was finding it hard to put into words. As I walked past her, she looked at me suspiciously, seemingly sizing me up. I gave her a look that said, "Quit staring at me, bitch," and walked to the other side of the room, leaning up against one of the cubicles.

"So, Pam," Jessica began, nervously casting her gaze toward me. Her eyes lingered on me for another second before looking back at Pam, seemingly satisfied that I could listen to this conversation. "When you're feeding on someone, how do you not kill 'em?"

My ears perked up. So Jessica was a new vampire like me? It made me feel a little less alone and out of place. Maybe Jessica would be a good ally, considering she was the only vampire I had met who seemed relatively approachable.

"Bill didn't teach you that?" Pam asked, genuinely surprised. I looked to the floor. So this Bill who had been kidnapped seemed to be Jessica's maker and someone close to the blonde woman. I felt like I was a crime-solver in a murder mystery. It was kind of exciting.

"Bill doesn't want me to feed on people. And now he's gone and…"

Pam sighed as she returned to applying her lip liner. "It's in the heartbeat, you feel it in the blood."

I started listening even more intently. Earlier, when I fed on that human Skylar, I did remember hearing a heartbeat in my head. As it slowed, she became weaker and eventually went limp. If Eric hadn't pulled me off of her, she would have died. This was a lesson I needed to hear.

"Yeah?" Jessica asked, just as interested as I was.

"And when it slows, you stop."

Jessica stood up straight, pacing across the floor until she came to a strange-looking bench. Plopping down on it, she looked small, portraying physically the way I felt: small, alone, confused.

"Yeah, but how do you stop?"

Pam turned to face her, leaning up against the sink. "I think of crying children with soggy diapers. Also maggots."

"Well, let's say you did kill somebody," Jessica said sheepishly. "By accident," she quickly added.

Pam chuckled, shaking her head. I watched her in disgust. Jessica was talking about accidentally killing somebody and Pam was acting like she was talking about accidentally stepping on a bug. I may have been a vampire like them, but something about Pam rubbed me the wrong way. It was probably her condescending disregard for anyone, including humans. It disgusted me.

_But then again,_ I thought, _I do feed from them, just like any other vampire. Am I really any better than her?_

"What would you do with the body?"

Unable to handle the conversation any longer, I stormed past both women, throwing open the door and walking out into the hall.

I paced back and forth in the darkened hallway, thoughts buzzing in my head like a hive full of bees. The nonchalant way the female vampires were talking about human death bothered me, but not as much as it probably should have.

I had not thought much about the werewolves since my first arrival at Fangtasia. My mind had been trying to wrap around the fact that I was now a vampire and I could not remember how it happened. This blonde woman and the vampire Jessica, though, had just found the body of a werewolf and believed that he had been involved in this Bill's disappearance. _But why?_ I couldn't help but think. My mind kept returning to the same question. Why would werewolves have so much interest in vampires?

The sound of the bathroom door opening pulled me from my thoughts. From behind me, I heard a set of tentative footsteps approach me. When I turned around, Jessica was looking at me nervously, her left hand grasping her right forearm. She was very pretty with long red hair and gorgeous blue eyes. Her skin was flawless, making me jealous. I had always been cursed with freckles, one of the curses of being a fair redhead.

"You're not going to tell anybody what I said, will you?" she asked anxiously, looking up at me through her eyelashes. She looked so vulnerable, it was hard to believe that just minutes ago she had been asking how to hide a dead body.

"Look, Jessica," I started, not sure what to say, "I…"

"What's your name?" Jessica interrupted.

"Gemma."

"Gemma, you have to know what boat I'm in. You're a new vampire too, right?"

"Yeah, I actually just awoke tonight," I admitted, nervously scratching my scalp.

"Really?" she asked, surprised. "Well, then you really know what's going on. The hunger, it's nearly uncontrollable, you know that. I made a mistake that I really regret; I just broke up with my boyfriend and I needed a little danger, so I fed on someone. But my maker believes in mainstreaming. He only drinks Tru Blood, so he didn't tell me how to feed on a human without killing them. You have to understand, I wasn't out there looking for somebody to kill. My nature, our nature, took over and I just…lost control."

The things she said touched me. I knew I shouldn't take murder lightly. Just because it was an accident didn't make it alright. This was a human being we were talking about, not a rabbit that ran out in front of her car. At the same time, though, I knew where she was coming from. I had that same problem just earlier. I would never have known when to stop if someone else had not stopped me. I couldn't be a hypocrite and say she deserved to be punished when I could easily have been in the same position. It was troubling, and I wasn't sure if I was doing the right thing, but I had to be empathetic.

"I understand, Jessica," I sighed, leaning up against the wall. "I haven't even been a vampire 24 hours and I already know how hard it can be to control the urges. A big part of me sees all of this from a human's point of view still, that murder is bad all the time and whatnot, but I'm not a human anymore. Maybe I need to change the way I look at things."

I could tell Jessica knew I didn't completely agree with what I was saying, but she still gave me a big smile and threw her arms around me.

"Thanks, Gemma. We're the only vampires around here that are less than a couple centuries old. We need to stick together," she said brightly, looking me in the eye. "And if you ever need help, don't hesitate to ask me. I'll help you hide a body; hell, I'll help you hide ten bodies if you need me to." She smiled shyly, adding, "I'm just so happy to know somebody who knows what I'm going through."

"I know how you feel," I said with a weak smile. "I've been stuck with Eric for most of the night and I have to tell you, he makes me feel like the biggest burden."

"Eric Northman's not all that easy to get along with," Jessica said with a shrug. "Did you know he's over a thousand years old?"

I gawked at her. "A thousand? No way."

"Yeah. He used to be a Viking. I figure that's why he's such a dick sometimes. It must be hard being that fucking old."

"Wow, well that definitely changes things a bit," I whispered, still getting over the shock. Eric was a one thousand-year-old vampire stuck with a 21-year-old. Okay, so maybe I should cut him some slack. If I were that old, I probably wouldn't want to deal with me either.

At that moment, Pam walked out of the restroom, her makeup perfectly done, accentuating the haughty look in her eyes.

"You girls done gossiping?" Pam asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, I need to get Sookie to take me home. The sun is going to be coming up before long," Jessica answered, turning and walking toward the club area. As we neared, I could still hear Eric and the blonde woman, who I assumed was Sookie, still talking about something. I couldn't make out what they were saying, but I wasn't really trying. It felt rude to eavesdrop.

"Sookie, you gotta get me home before dawn," Jessica said as we entered the room. Sookie turned her head away, but I could tell she was wiping tears from her face. Without a word to Eric, she grabbed her purse, stood up, and walked toward us. Together, Sookie, Jessica, Pam, and I all walked out, leaving Eric to himself. Before I passed through the door, I looked back at him. He looked blank, as if he wasn't really in his head anymore. Sighing, I turned and left, giving him some time to himself.

As we walked out into the night, Sookie turned and looked at me, her eyes still rimmed with red from crying, but her sadness seemed to be replaced with curiosity.

"Eric said you are a baby vampire," Sookie stated, her eyes studying my face. I nodded. "What is your name?"

"I'm Gemma Leland," I answered, forcing a small smile. This close to Sookie, I became painfully aware that she was human. I could hear the blood pumping through her and she smelled delicious, even better than the human I drank from earlier. Mentally, I shook myself, took a moment to remind myself that I'm not just a mindless beast. Thankfully, Sookie didn't seem to notice. Instead, she gave me a pitying smile.

"How did you get stuck with Eric of all the vampires? Don't you have a maker?"

"Well, yeah, I have a maker, I guess. He or she is gone, though. Eric thinks they are dead."

"Wow," she breathed. "That's terrible. Well, we haven't been properly introduced. I'm Sookie Stackhouse."

Sweetly, Sookie held out her hand to me. I took it, shaking her hand politely. It surprised me a little that she was so at-ease with vampires. When I was human, I had always learned to be scared to death of vampires, like they were ticking time bombs about to explode at any second.

"Nice to meet you, Sookie."

"Look, Gemma, things are a little out-of-control right now, but I want to be able to help you if I can. Eric can be awful and I don't think you deserve that."

I smiled, touched by her offer. "Thanks. And I want to help you, too. I don't know who Bill is or if there is any way I can help, but I can tell he means a lot to you and I'll do anything I can."

Sookie's eyes began to fill with tears, her mouth spreading into a big smile. "You have no idea how much I appreciate that. Well, the sun is going to be rising soon and I need to get Jessica home. Don't be a stranger, okay?"

"Okay," I answered, waving to her as she walked toward a little beat-up yellow car. As she and Jessica opened their doors, I turned and walked back into Fangtasia.

Inside, Eric and Pam were speaking in another language, the conversation obviously unpleasant and most likely about me. As I entered, both pairs of eyes turned and looked at me.

"What did I do this time?" I asked nervously, taking slow steps toward them.

"We don't have time to see the Queen tonight before the sun rises," Eric growled, pissed off by this problem. "We will have to sleep, and then go to her tomorrow night. I have a special sleeping spot I will allow you to use tonight."

Exchanging a few more words in their secret language, Swedish if what Jessica told me was true, Pam and Eric turned and led me outside. Pam got into the Corvette and drove away, leaving Eric and I standing in the empty parking lot. I turned and looked at him.

"So where is this 'special sleeping spot' you want me to stay at? Don't you have a house or something?" I asked, suddenly feeling very tired. Something inside me told me that there was less than an hour until the sun began to rise.

"Yes, I have a home, but a vampire's resting place is the most vital secret he keeps," he answered seriously. "Only people I trust know where it is, which at this time includes only myself and Pam."

Too tired to argue, I just shrugged. Satisfied that I wasn't going to fight him, Eric gestured for me to follow. Suddenly, Eric took off like a lightning bolt into the woods with me following close behind.

Despite my super speed, it was still incredibly difficult to keep up with Eric. I had heard that as vampires got older, their powers grew stronger. It could have been this or the simple fact that his stride was much longer than mine. Either way, I had to really push myself to keep him in my sight.

Eventually, we reached the edge of the woods. We were running through a graveyard, filled with headstones and flowers left by loved ones. Eric came to a halt in front of a mausoleum, stopping so abruptly that I nearly crashed into him.

"This is the special sleeping place?" I asked, looking at the mausoleum with disgust.

"Do not fret, Miss Leland, it's unoccupied," Eric said with a smirk. I turned and glared at him.

"It has a name on it. Did you really steal a dead guy's final resting place?"

Eric chuckled. "I had this specially made for me and I put a fake name on it to avoid suspicion. Trust me, it will be much more comfortable than most other places. And drainers are less likely to suspect a vampire is sleeping in a supposedly occupied grave."

"Drainers?"

"Humans that drain vampire blood to sell," he explained, looking at me very soberly. "You must always watch out for them and never let anyone know where you are sleeping, even another vampire. That is the only time you are truly vulnerable."

I looked up at the sky. In the east, the sky was beginning to pale slightly. Giving him one last look of loathing, I opened the door to the mausoleum, stepped inside, and slammed the door behind me.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Author's Note: Hello awesome readers! I just wanted to say thank you guys so much for the positive comments about the last chapter. I posted it before I went to work and ended up having the day from hell there, so I came home pretty down. You guys really brightened my day! I really love this chapter, I hope you like it as much as I do.**_

_**Disclaimer: I own Gemma Leland and some of the plotline associated with her. The rest of the characters and plot belong to Alan Ball, the creator of the HBO series True Blood, and Charlaine Harris, the author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels.**_

* * *

_**Chapter 7**_

I awoke the next evening in complete darkness. It took me a few moments to remember that I was inside a tomb. The cold stone around me made me shiver. It would take a while for me to get used to waking up in a grave every night, but it wasn't quite as traumatizing as the night before.

With a heave, I tossed off the stone top of the tomb, stepping out into the empty room that was the mausoleum. I did a few stretches before walking over to the door, pushing it open with a mighty shove.

Standing outside, making me jump in surprise, was Eric.

"Goddamn, Eric," I exclaimed, grabbing my chest. "Do you really need to sneak up on me like that?"

"I was just standing here," Eric stated matter-of-factly. "I have some business to take care of. I want you to go to Fangtasia and stay there until I get there."

"No, no, no," I said, waving my hands in front of me. "You're not going to keep locking me in your office like a dog. I'm coming with you. Then, whenever you're done, we can go straight to the Queen."

Eric looked like he wanted to argue, but to my surprise, he simply sighed and nodded his head.

"Fine. I am going to Sookie Stackhouse's home. If you must come, I want you to wait in the woods until I finish speaking to her. This conversation has nothing to do with you and I'd rather you didn't get involved."

"Is this about the werewolves you were talking about yesterday?" I asked.

Sighing, Eric said, "Yes, and the fact that you know that is quite an inconvenience, but that does not matter. Just stay out of this and it will be easier for both of us."

I walked over to Eric, standing in front of him so he was forced to look at me. I had to look almost straight up to be able to see into his face.

"Do you think the werewolves that took Bill are the same ones that tried to take me?" I asked seriously, looking him in the eyes. Eric held my gaze for a few long moments, his beautiful blue eyes searching mine. He seemed to be contemplating his answer, deciding what information I could handle. With a sigh, he finally answered, "Yes."

I was not surprised by his answer, more surprised by his honesty. With this knowledge, this situation suddenly became much more important to me. If these werewolves were interested in me, maybe they knew something about me before I was turned. I needed that information.

I followed Eric as we ran through the woods, quickly reaching a large, white house with a big open porch in front of it. Eric turned to me, gesturing for me to stay where I was. Rolling my eyes, I did as he wanted, though I situated myself so that I could still see the porch without drawing any attention to myself.

Eric walked up to the front door, his steps slow, as if he was nervous about going up there. A floorboard creaked as he stepped onto the porch. I watched from the woods, anxious to hear what they would talk about. I was so desperate to know about these werewolves, if I were still human, I would have been sweating bullets.

"Hello, Sookie," Eric said softly to the door. Instinctively, I stepped to the side to hide myself behind the tree, but I realized it was silly. Sookie would not suspect I was there, so she wouldn't be looking for me.

The door squeaked as it opened, revealing Sookie, a gun in her hand as she looked up into Eric's face.

"They came for you," Eric stated rather than asked.

"Just one, this morning," Sookie answered. "He took off before I could get anything out of him. That why you're here, or do you know something about Bill?"

After a slight pause, Eric spoke softly, almost too quiet for me to catch. "I lied to you."

Eric launched into a story about how he and his maker, a vampire named Godric, posed as members of the SS in Germany during World War II in order to find out who was controlling the branded werewolves. They were different than most werewolves in many ways, including their skill, organization, and funds, but the worst part was they were all fueled by vampire blood, which gave them strength beyond that which they already had. These werewolves were now somehow in Louisiana.

I stood still as a stone as he said all this, thinking through every detail of the story. These wolves were a single pack, set apart by the brand on their necks when they were in human form. Now, these werewolves were here, hunting Sookie. From Eric's story, he knew the leader was a vampire. This vampire was now close and had his eye on Sookie. But which vampire? And why did he want Sookie? It must have something to do with Bill, I thought. And why did they want me?

"Why didn't you tell me last night?" Sookie demanded, breaking me from my thoughts.

"The very question is why am I risking everything to tell you now? My loyalty is not to Bill. In fact, it would be advantageous for me in numerous ways if he were never found. But…"

Eric paused. I could not see his face, but I could see Sookie give him a strange look, waiting for him to continue.

"But…?"

Eric looked to the side and I could see that he was struggling within himself. It was a strange sight. Since I met Eric, he had always seemed so sure of himself, save for a slight glimmer of emotion in the hotel room, but he looked worried. Maybe even scared.

"Now they're coming for you and I…owe you."

A giant light bulb went off in my head, making me nearly cry out. _Hot damn, Eric loves Sookie_. With the realization came a slight pang of jealousy, but I tried to ignore it. _So the plot thickens,_ I thought to myself. There was no way I could leave now. I had to see how this story ended.

"And you said you were risking everything to tell me," Sookie pressed on, not seeming to notice the obvious signs of Eric's love for her. Either that or she was ignoring them. "What did that mean?"

"The goal tonight was to keep you out of danger, not put you in more of it," Eric answered, his voice strained with frustration. He pushed himself up to his feet, walking toward the door. Sookie jumped up to follow him.

"Eric, you can't just say something like that and leave."

"Oh I'm not leaving," he answered, turning toward her. "You're going to invite me in so I can protect you…or have passionate, primal sex with you. How 'bout both?"

A low growl escaped my lips before I could stop it. Eric was really going to proposition a girl for sex when he had somebody waiting for him out in the shadows? What a dick.

Eric had Sookie backed up against the wall. _Okay, _I thought, _this is going too far._

"You're not gonna distract me by talkin' nasty."

"I already have. So, you going to invite me in?"

"I'm still Bill's," Sookie answered. I nearly jumped and clapped for her. _You go girl, don't let that asshole get to you._

Eric looked down at her, seemingly unmoved by what she said, but I knew it hurt him. He wanted Sookie, but her heart belonged to another. Poor guy.

"So you are."

I was starting to grow bored watching those two banter back and forth from the sidelines. Eric's story had provided me with some important information, but there was so much more that I wanted to know. For instance, what did this brand look like? Did werewolves really hate vampires as much as they do in the movies? And if they do, why would they do the bidding of one? I had a lot of questions, but considering Eric was desperate to get rid of me, nobody was going to answer them for me.

"To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, to blah blah blah blah blah until death do you part," Eric babbled on. I was surprised by his words, clearly recognizing them from marriage vows. I looked over at Sookie, trying to check for a ring, but from where I was standing, I couldn't see. Evidently, Bill and Sookie were getting married. "It doesn't bother you that you'll be the only one doing the dying?"

"I'm not gonna talk about this with you," she stated, obviously exasperated with Eric.

"Okay. So you'd really rather stay out here all night than invite me in?"

"One minute you lie to me, the next minute you ask me to trust you. You do something generous, selfless, and then you follow that up with something nasty or downright cruel."

Her statement made me feel a little better. At least I wasn't the only one Eric was terrible to. He was even a jackass to the woman he clearly loved.

I didn't have much time to bask in the delight of my realization. Something made a sound inside Sookie's house, making both Eric's and my eyes snap over. Using his speed, Eric pushed Sookie against the wall and demanded she invite him in. When she refused, he extended his fangs, scaring her into finally letting him in. As he ran through the front door, I ran up to the porch to where Sookie stood, looking shocked.

"Gemma?" she asked in surprise.

I didn't answer her. Instead, I moved over to the doorway, trying to get in to see what was happening, but it was like an invisible brick wall stood in front of the door. No amount of effort could get me past, but I watched Sookie easily pass through the door and look over to see what was happening. I strained as best I could to get a glimpse of what was going on, but I could see nothing. Suddenly, I heard a growl and Eric's distinct yell. I ran to the edge of the porch and looked in the window. Through a gap in the curtain, I saw a chilling scene. Eric was facing off against a wolf, his fangs protruding from his mouth. He was snarling at the wolf when suddenly there was the sound of a gunshot. Sookie fired a handgun at the wolf, but to my shock, Eric suddenly jumped in front of the bullet, taking it directly to the chest. I screamed, clapping my hands over my mouth.

Eric hit the ground, grunting in pain. The wolf turned its eyes to him before suddenly shifting into the form of an ugly, long-haired, naked man. The man shot toward the fallen vampire, desperately trying to get to him. Eric's hand circled his neck, holding him off. I couldn't take anymore. Taking off at a sprint, I ran toward the front door, desperate to get inside.

"Sookie!" I yelled from the doorway, still unable to enter. My yell was unheard, though, and I heard more rustling inside the house. I called out again for Sookie and Eric, unsure of what to do. I had heard that vampires could not enter a home without being invited, but this was a very inconvenient time to find out that was true.

After a few minutes, Sookie came stumbling out to the door. Her face was pale as a sheet, not surprising after what I had seen. Undoubtedly, there had been more that I was glad to have missed. Sookie's chocolate brown eyes met mine as she came to the door.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice full of the same shock that was clear on her face. I could tell she was not being malicious with her question, just merely confused.

"I came with Eric," I admitted, feeling a little abashed. "Do you mind if I come in?"

"Oh sure," she said, shaking her head. "Would you please come in, Gemma?"

It was as if an invisible door opened with her words. Suddenly, I was able to walk into the home without interference. I looked around at the décor of the house. It was a very homey place, full of personality and warmth. It was far different from any homes I had lived in.

I stepped into the living room, looking down at the scene on the floor. The naked man lay dead on the rug, his blood flowing freely still from an open wound in his neck. I grimaced when I looked at the wound, disgusted by the broken veins and torn skin.

The thing that shocked me the most, though, was his face. Without thinking, I got down on my knees, bringing my face closer to his. The smell of his free-flowing blood exhilarated me, made me feel suddenly very excited and hungry, but I was not focused on these feelings. My nose was nearly touching his as I looked into his face. The eyes were wide-open, vacant of any sparkle or signs of life. His hair was a tangled, red mane around his face, which was covered with equally red stubble.

I knew this man.

I searched my thoughts rigorously, sifting through my memories for whatever recollection of this man was tugging at the edge of my consciousness. Invisible hands in my mind were reaching for the memory, brushing it, but it always slipped through the fingers. All of a sudden, I was nearly knocked over when I finally grasped onto the thought. I jumped to my feet, spinning around so quickly I nearly lost my balance.

A few feet away, Eric was standing by the couch, blood glistening on his chin. His icy-blue eyes were locked on me, his expression clearly indicating his anger.

"I told you to wait in the woods," he growled at me, his face looking so terrifying covered in blood.

"I know him," I said, pointing down at the naked man.

Eric shot over to me so quickly, it appeared that he teleported. He brought his face so close to mine, I could feel his cool breath as he spoke. "How do you know him?" he demanded, grabbing me by my shoulders.

"I…I remember something, but it's really vague. I just remember him holding me down. I was screaming and kicking, but he was just laughing. Somebody was standing behind him, I can't really see his face, but I know it was a man."

The memory played over and over in my head. My stomach began to turn, making me physically ill. I bent over, my head spinning. This solidified what Eric and I suspected. I was clearly connected to these same werewolves that were hunting Sookie. The problem was I still didn't know why.

Eric stepped away from me, walking over to the window. His left hand held his other wrist behind his back as he stared out the glass into the moonlit night. I managed to regain my composure and walked over to him.

"What does this mean, Eric?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

Sookie walked over beside me, surprising me. I had nearly forgotten about her. She said, "What if they want Gemma for the same reason that they wanted Bill."

Eric shook his head, not sparing a glance toward me or Sookie.

"We need to get that body out of here."

Eric turned away from the window and marched right over to the body. He bent over the limp man, picking him up with inhuman ease. When Eric stood up, I could see the spot on his chest where he had been shot. There was a little hole in his shirt from the bullet's entry, but through it I could already tell that the wound was beginning to heal. When my eyes went back to Eric's, I saw that his attention was back on me.

"I am going to bury this body for Sookie," Eric stated, his stare cold and authoritative. "I want you to get back to Fangtasia and wait there. It is not open to discussion."

I could tell Eric would not take kindly to any objections on my part, and I did not want to start a fight. But there was something I needed to do and there was no way I would let Eric stop me. Without a word, I nodded at Eric before turning and walking toward the front door.

"Gemma, wait."

I turned around to see Sookie standing behind me. Her face was emotional chaos, a mix of fear, sadness, shock, and confusion. She was wringing her hands absentmindedly in front of her. She looked so vulnerable and scared, I wasn't sure what to do.

"Gemma, you need to be careful," she said, her voice shaking. "These wolves are strong. Bill is over a hundred years old and they were able to take him so easily, I did hear them enter or leave with him. If they can kidnap him, there's no telling what they would do to you."

I shook my head. Sookie's fiancé may have been strong, but I was determined. Nothing she said would stop me.

"Sookie, this wolf was probably not by himself. There is a chance that there are other wolves waiting out in those woods right now who know something about what happened to me and I need to find out. I don't care what risk I am taking," I said softly, not wanting Eric to hear. I knew if he had any knowledge of what I was doing, he would put a stop to it right away.

Sookie sighed, and then took a few steps toward me. She took my hands in her own and looked into my eyes.

"Be careful, Gemma."

With a slight smile, I nodded before bolting out the door.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's Note: Hello lovely readers! I am starting to come to the end of my previously written chapters, but I am still spending as much time as possible writing and getting inspiration. I have started looking for inspiration in the Sookie Stackhouse novels (I just finished book 2) and watching music videos (I have become obsessed with The Civil Wars and Mumford and Sons). I have two more chapters after this one completed right now, I'm going to try to finish Chapter 11 today. I will continue posting a chapter a day as long as I can. Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own Gemma Leland and part of the plot associated with her. The rest of the characters and plot are owned by Alan Ball and the creators of True Blood as well as Charlaine Harris, the author of the The Southern Vampire Mysteries.**_

* * *

_**Chapter 8**_

I sprinted from the door straight out through the tree line and did not stop. Twigs scratched me from all sides as I flew through the trees, but I paid them no attention. My mind was spinning. When I looked at the dead werewolf on Sookie's floor, I had seen a flash of a memory from the past two weeks. The memory was hazy, not as clear as my new vampire vision, so I believed it was a memory from when I was still human. The now dead man had been holding me down while another man, who I could only see as a silhouette, stood over me. I could not remember where I was or if there were any other people around me. There was one thing I could remember, though, and that was that I was terrified.

I continued to tear through the woods like a bat out of hell, filled from head to toe with turmoil. Save for those few seconds of memory, the nearly two and a half weeks prior to awaking in the grave were still a mystery. Something happened that had taken away my memory. Maybe I had suffered a blow to the head. It must have happened while I was still human, though. Vampires heal quickly, so I found it hard to believe that my memory could have been wiped afterward.

The dead man's face had caused me to remember that little bit of memory. I began to focus even more on listening and looking for werewolves. If I could find the wolves, maybe they would cause me to remember more.

At that moment I heard light voices, quite a distance away from me if my hearing was as developed as I believed it was. I stopped in my tracks, listening for the direction the voices were coming from. When I pinpointed them, I took off as lightly as I could toward them. I was careful not to snap a single twig, rustle any leaves, as if my life depended on it. The scary part was if these were werewolves, it very well might.

Through the trees, I could see the glow of a small fire. Shadows stretched on the trees, indicating to me that there were two people sitting by the fire. I could not get a good look at them and I was too scared to get closer. I leaned up against an oak tree, hiding myself from sight. There was no breeze, so there was nothing to carry my scent to these possible werewolves. From what I knew of werewolves from Hollywood, which may all be completely untrue, they had great senses of smell and I did not want to risk anything cluing them in to my presence.

"I'm getting a little sick of chasing this fangbanger. I don't see how she is worth all this bullshit," a gruff voice said. I could tell they were talking about Sookie. My ears perked up.

"I seen her the other day," another said. "She's a hottie. I wouldn't mind showing her a good time before we take her to Jackson."

"Think with your head instead of your dick for once. Edgington said he wants her completely unharmed."

"She wouldn't be harmed," the second man said in a very suggestive voice before I heard a loud thump followed by a yelp of pain.

"We don't need to be doing anything more to upset Edgington. We already lost that vamper girl, if even one blonde hair is hurt on her pretty little head, we will be dead as roadkill."

My breath caught in my throat. They _lost_ a vampire. Immediately, I had to think they were talking about me. How many vampires could these werewolves be chasing or even possibly holding hostage?

"How comes nobody can find that vamper, anyway?" the second man demanded. "She's just a baby, she couldna gotten far. Why isn't anybody looking fer her?"

"We can't risk any more problems. Those three rookies were already killed looking for her, we can't afford to lose any more guys. There aren't enough of us out here to risk it. 'Sides, the girl is prolly dead already, stumbled out in the sunlight or something. We can get us some more vampers, anyhow."

"It just seems strange that they was obviously killed by a vamper. Would that baby vamp really be able to do that? I think maybe she had help."

"Who would she call to get help? Coot clocked her real good right before that other blood-bag got her. I doubt she even 'membered her own name, let alone anyone else. She probably just got lucky."

"Where the hell is Johnson? He went to find that girl over an hour ago, he shoulda been back by now."

I didn't want to hear anymore. Slowly, I stepped back, taking care not to make any sound as I walked into the night. As soon as I knew I was safely out of earshot, I took off at full speed. If I still had a heartbeat, it would be hammering like a herd of wild horses.

I was scared to even think about the things I heard. It was obvious they knew who I was and where I came from. They also knew who my maker was, somehow. It should have been good news that they weren't looking for me, but the way they said "get" another vampire that made me sick. They made it sound like I was a piece of fruit they had dropped and they just needed to go out to the store and buy another one. No big deal. And who was this Edgington? Did he know something about why I was made? Desperately, I wanted some way to fill in the gaps in my memory. Evidently, a lot had happened in those two weeks I had forgotten. Maybe if I could remember, it would help me figure out what happened to get me here, which could maybe help me get home.

I did not even think as I began running toward Fangtasia. Something within me was telling me which way to go and in my traumatized state, I did not question these instincts. Eventually, the trees broke and I was running through Shreveport, finally stopping at the front door of Eric's club.

Walking through the door, I realized Eric was not there yet. The place was empty, though all the lights were on. Letting out a deep sigh, I took a seat at the empty bar. I dropped my head down on the bar, my brain running a mile a minute. With all the shit that had been going on, I hadn't had time to think about how thirsty I was. I felt weak, tired, and just plain done with it all. I needed blood bad.

My head snapped up, my eyes finding a fridge behind the bar. Jumping over the counter, I pulled the door open, revealing row after row of Tru Blood. I grabbed the first one I saw, unscrewed the cap, and dumped it into my mouth.

The taste was foul and I grimaced as the synthetic blood dripped down my throat. It was disappointing, kind of like a starving person biting into a hamburger only to realize it was tofu. And cold tofu, at that. I had not even bothered to microwave the bottle, but I felt so hungry that I did not want to wait. For a second I stared at the bottle, debating if I would continue drinking. Then the pain of hunger ripped through my insides again and I put the bottle to my lips.

"That stuff is foul," a drawling female voice said from behind me. I didn't have to turn around to know who it was. It was Pam. Rather than answer her, I took another gulp of Tru Blood, trying not to gag.

"What are you doing here all by yourself?" Pam asked, circling around so I had to look at her. I glared at her, still not dignifying her with a response. Pam had not shown me an ounce of respect since the second she saw me, so I thought I would return the favor.

"Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot," Pam said sweetly, grabbing the bottle out of my hand and putting the lid back on. "I can tell you're hungry and this stuff isn't going to cut it. Why don't you come have some real dinner."

Before I could stop her, Pam had her hand on my elbow and was leading me toward the back of the club. She opened a door, leading me downstairs to a dark, seedy basement. Basement seemed like the wrong word for it. Dungeon is more appropriate.

A nude woman stood on the other side of the room, her arms held above her head by thick chains that attached to the ceiling. She was thin with dark blonde hair and dark eyes. My gaze immediately fell on her neck where several different puncture wounds were visible. When I looked down, I realized she even had bite marks on her thighs, near her groin. She seemed like a prisoner, but I could tell by the slight smile on her face that she was definitely not there against her will. I would have been disgusted by the sight before me if I were not so hungry.

"Come on, Gemma," Pam whispered in my ear, putting her hand on the small of my back to lead me toward the young woman. "Get some real blood. It will make you feel so much better than that awful synthetic shit."

I began to inch toward the naked woman, my eyes locked on her pulsing jugular, the hunger gripping me harder than ever. When I was so close I was almost touching her, I froze, suddenly swinging around to glare at Pam. She stood only a few feet away, her face the picture of innocence. I was suddenly very suspicious.

"Why are you being so nice to me now?" I demanded. "It was only yesterday that you were talking about me like I was a piece of shit stuck to your shoe."

Pam's eyes became hard, showing her frustration with me. But very quickly, the expression was replaced with her look of innocence, though it was much weaker than before.

"I just feel like I have treated you wrong and would like to make it up to you. Go ahead, drink."

"No," I fired back, taking a step away from the human woman as if she was radioactive. "You better tell me what the hell is going on."

Pam tried to maintain her innocent intentions, though I could tell she was wavering. Finally, after a few moments of tense stand-off, she cracked. She rolled her eyes, heaved out a large sigh, and then looked back at me with the haughty, better-than-you look she always had when she looked at me.

"Look, sweetie, I'm under orders from Eric to keep you fed and get you some new clothes. He wants you to be presentable when we take you to Queen Sophie-Anne and he doesn't particularly want you dying while you're in his care. And trust me, sweetheart, you look starved. If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't give you a diseased human," she said, gesturing vaguely to the chained-up woman. "I'd stake you. So I think that should be enough reassurance to get you to drink up. And please hurry. I have some other business to attend to."

Whatever her other business was, I did not care to know, but what she said did make sense. Eric had already explained that he could not dispose of me himself, which I assumed also applied to Pam. Poisoning seemed too complicated and time-consuming for Pam to consider, so I gave in to my desires. I sank my fangs into her neck and fed from the woman until I was full, which was more quickly than the previous day since I had already consumed about half a bottle of Tru Blood. Plus, I had the information Pam had provided me the day before. I was able to release the woman of my own volition this time by listening to her heartbeat. I did not need Pam to drag me off of her, which was good because it seemed to me that Pam wouldn't have bothered to put forth the effort.

After I had drunk my fill of blood, Pam grudgingly led me back upstairs to Eric's office. Inside, on top of his desk, there were several plastic bags with various clothes items, ranging from jeans and blouses to very sexy dresses. There was even a pile of shoe boxes, all of which were brand new. I was shocked by how much these clothes must have cost, but thankful none-the-less.

"Where did all this come from?"

"I had them acquired during the day," she said with a shrug. "Eric and I have several human contacts that do our dirty work while we sleep."

I chose not to ask any more questions, considering I may not like the answer to them. Instead, I picked out a cute pair of skinny jeans and a lacy blue blouse to change into. I asked Pam to leave the room, which she did gladly, and began to change my clothes. I slipped on the jeans, pulled off my shirt, and was in the process of slipping on the top when suddenly the door flew open.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Author's Note: Hello lovely readers! I wanted to apologize for this chapter, it has been quite a pain. I first published it a couple days ago and I thought I was very happy with it. Then, I spent the better part of that day trying to write the next chapter. I wrote chapter 10 about three different ways, trying to find a way to get it to fit into the original version of chapter 9. Finally, that night, I realized that I had to rewrite this chapter or the rest of the story would just be disrupted. I'm very sorry to all my readers who read the original version of chapter 9, this version isn't quite as exciting, but it also leads better into the next great excitement of this story.**_

_**Disclaimer: I own Gemma Leland and part of the plot associated with her. The rest of the characters and plot belong to Alan Ball, the creator of True Blood, and Charlaine Harris, the author of the Southern Vampire Mysteries.**_

* * *

_**Chapter 9**_

_Eric Northman_

I pulled into the parking lot of Fangtasia, screeching to a halt in front of the door. I was fuming, furious that Gemma had ventured out into those woods alone. Gemma had left Sookie's house without a word to me, so I just assumed she was following my instructions to go back to Fangtasia. Shortly after, I carried the body of the werewolf to the cemetery, Sookie beside me, and buried it in a fresh grave. As I led her back to her home, Sookie informed me, to my chagrin, that she was going to go to Jackson to find Bill. It was a dangerous mission she was going on and I would not be able to protect her during the daylight hours. As she spoke, I remembered a werewolf who was in my debt, Alcide Herveaux, one of the few werewolves I would trust to watch over Sookie in my absence. As I made the decision to contact him right away to discuss my plan, something Sookie said caught my attention.

"What did you just say?" I demanded, my eyes suddenly locking on hers. Her face reddened, telling me she had let something slip that I was not meant to hear. She remained silent for a few seconds, obviously weighing the options of repeating herself, but she could tell that she had already let the cat out of the bag and there was no getting it back in.

"Gemma went into the woods to see if there were any other werewolves out there," she admitted, rubbing her arm in a show of embarrassment.

"And why would she do that?" I asked, trying to keep my voice even, despite the rapid rise of my temper.

"She needed to know if there were any others who could tell her how she became a vampire. She did not want you to know," she said softly. Suddenly, looking desperate, she put her hand on my arm. "Please, do not get mad at her."

I did not answer her. Instead, I turned around and took off running down her driveway as fast as I could move. I was furious that Gemma had done something so stupid and reckless. I was even more furious at Sookie for not telling me right away about Gemma's plan. Most of all, though, I was worried. Those werewolves were dangerous, much more dangerous than Sookie or Gemma could possibly understand. They were a challenge, even for me, a vampire who had been alive for over a thousand years. Gemma was no match for them, especially when they were on V. The werewolves that had attacked her the night before had obviously sampled some vampire blood, but they were young and stupid, which made them fairly easy to kill. They had been sent out because they were disposable. This werewolf that they had sent out after Sookie, however, was much stronger and the sight of my blood sent him into a frenzy that I almost couldn't contain. The people who were staying behind were the leaders, more valuable and, therefore, stronger. If Gemma was found by them, there was no way she would be able to overpower them.

When I reached the end of the driveway, I stopped to decide what I would do. The woods were large and even with my speed and heightened senses, it would be impossible to scan the whole area for her. I decided to head to Fangtasia, hoping that she had made it out alive and would be there.

I ran to the edge of the cemetery where I had left my car, jumped in and quickly pushed the pedal to the floor. Very shortly, I was in front of my business and running into the building. I knew Pam was downstairs, cavorting with the human, so I went straight to my office.

When I threw open the door, Gemma was pulling her shirt over her head. I was able to glimpse her breasts, neatly tucked into her lacy bra, before they were covered by her shirt. Her brilliant green eyes widened in shock when she realized that I was the one standing in the doorway. I found myself once again taken aback by her beauty, just as I had been the day before in the hotel room. For a few seconds, I forgot why I had stormed into the room. Quickly enough, though, the fury returned.

"What the hell were you doing out in those woods?" I demanded, stepping forward so only an inch separated she and I. She took a small step back, trying to create distance, but I matched it. We repeated this ritual until she was pressed up against the wall.

Her green eyes were vibrant and this close, I realized her pupils were lined with chocolate brown and flecked with gold. I got caught in her cautious stare, nearly unable to pull myself away. A flood of feelings burst forth, nearly drowning me. I wanted to protect her, to hold her to shake her for putting herself in so much danger.

The fright radiating from her was tangible. She shrunk back against the wall, terrified by the expression of rage on my face. Within a second, though, she seemed to find some strength within herself. She straightened up, appearing resolute, as she looked into my face. Her expression was replaced by that of unyielding disgust.

"I went looking for more werewolves," she shouted in my face. "I need to know what happened before I woke up in that grave. I _need_ to! And you won't help me find out. You don't give a shit about anyone but yourself, you self-absorbed son of a bitch!"

My fangs extended as my fury began to grow. Few vampires, especially fledglings, dared to get in my face or upset me. This baby vampire, with no understanding of our hierarchy or her place in it, deserved to die for her open disrespect of me. But I had to admit I was amazed by her audacity, even a little thrilled.

"You are a fool, you are a child. Those werewolves would have ripped you apart if they found you. You have no knowledge of your abilities and they would have destroyed you without any effort," I shouted back, bending over slightly so my face was even closer to hers. She flinched slightly, unsure of what I would do to her. I took advantage of my upper hand and grabbed her shoulders, making it clear that I was more powerful than her and she would listen to me.

"I'm sorry, Eric," she managed to whisper, fear and loathing coloring her face.

I thought I would feel victorious when I managed to put her back in her place, but instead, I felt guilty. She looked miserable and dejected, much as she did the first night I found her. Those same irritating emotions began to fill me against my will.

"I was sure you would be killed," I admitted before I could stop myself.

_Gemma Leland_

For a second, I thought I had misheard him. His voice was so full of emotion, something that I did not believe Eric was capable of. As he looked down at me, his anger totally melted away, revealing an expression I could not quite define. All the hateful thoughts that had been churning suddenly fell away when I looked into his eyes.

I felt lost in his crystal-blue stare, as if I were hypnotized. Something passed between us, a silence filled with so many unsaid words, unexpressed emotions. My gaze moved down momentarily to his slightly-parted pink lips, then back up at his eyes, unsure of what I was feeling. His closeness, which before had felt suffocating, suddenly felt comfortable, even intimate. I was overcome with the urge to kiss him.

It was Eric that finally broke the meaningful silence. "You will not do anything that stupid ever again," he stated matter-of-factly, bringing me back to reality. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, Eric," I said breathlessly. Something about saying his name in that moment made my heart jump. It felt strangely intimate.

For a moment, Eric stiffened. Then, without warning, Eric turned on his heels and walked out of the room, silently shutting the door behind him.

I waited until I could no longer hear Eric's steps anymore before I dared to move. When he was out of earshot, I walked over to the couch, collapsing back onto it. I stared up at the ceiling, clasping my hands on my chest.

I did not see Eric for the remainder of the night. I tried my best not to think about the moment in Eric's office. It was nothing, I kept telling myself, just a peculiar reaction to the passion of our confrontation. The past few days had been incredibly stressful and I was just being irrational. When I emerged from his office, over an hour had passed since he walked out, enough time for me to convince myself that everything was the same as before.

Pam took me to a nearby human's house to shower. Thankfully, the house was vacant, though that didn't make me feel much better about breaking and entering. I knew I needed to clean up, though, and it was better than nothing.

"So where is Eric?" I asked when I emerged from the bathroom, my body wrapped in a towel as I mopped casually at my hair. "He said he was going to take me to Queen What's-Her-Name tonight."

"I know," she sighed, giving me an approving once-over. I suddenly became very self-conscious. "It seems that he won't be able to take you for a few days. Eric has some very important business to take care of with an associate, and then he will take you to Sophie-Anne."

I growled, unhappy with this new development. Sophie-Anne seemed to be my only ticket out of this hell-hole and possibly back home. The other vampires did not seem to like her, but I had not heard a reason why.

Without another word to Pam, I turned and walked back into the bathroom to change into the jeans and v-neck shirt I had brought with me. It seemed more practical to wear these to sleep, considering upon waking I had several miles to run in order to get to Fangtasia.

As I walked away from her, I heard Pam say, "Well, well, maybe she could be a little fun, after all."

* * *

I had not dreamed since I was turned, but that night in the mausoleum, I had a dream about my mother.

I was young, about seven or eight years old. The child version of me with long, tangled red hair and dirty clothes was standing on the sidewalk of a somewhat seedy street in downtown Chicago. My mother was nowhere near me and I looked terrified. A man in a suit turned a corner and began walking toward me. Zeroing in, I quickly ran over to him.

"Mister, can you help me," I asked, the image of a pathetic, sad, homeless child. The man, who had been talking rapidly on his cell phone, hastily hung it up and got down on one knee to be at eye-level with me.

"Little girl, what is the matter?" he asked, putting his big hands on my shoulders.

"It's my mommy," I said, my voice wavering, "she won't wake up."

"What is your name?"

"Gemma."

"What do you mean she won't wake up, Gemma?" he asked, his thick brown eyes knitting together.

"I keep shaking her and poking her and she won't move. She's back here," I said, taking his big hand in my little one and leading him down a nearby alley. About halfway down the alley was a dumpster. Beside the dumpster lay a thin woman with wild, unkempt blonde hair and track marks all over her arms.

It was my mother.

The second the man saw my mother on the ground, he ran over to her, kneeling down beside her immobile body. I came up beside him, leaning up against him, a frightened child looking for any kind of human connection.

"Gemma, your mommy needs help. I'm going to call 9-1-1 so that someone will come help her, okay?" he asked, turning to look at me over his shoulder. With eyes wide and shiny with tears, I nodded, taking a step back. As I took a step back, I bumped the man's shoulder a little bit, keeping his attention away from the wallet I slipped out of his pocket.

I turned to the side, hiding the wallet from the man who had pulled his cell phone from his pocket. As he began to dial for the police, my mother's eyes sprung open. With a scream, she shoved the man away with all her might, making him stumble backward and fall on his back with a thud. My wild-looking mother jumped up and ran, scooping me up in her arms.

"You did good, Gemma," she whispered in my ear as she ran toward the end of the alley. Just before we rounded the corner to the road, my eyes met the big, shocked eyes of the man I just stole from.

Before he could even realize what happened, we were gone.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay on this chapter. It took a lot of writing and rewriting before I finally got it the way I wanted. I hope you all like it!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own Gemma Leland and part of the plot associated with her. The rest of the characters and plot belong to Alan Ball, the creator of True Blood, and Charlaine Harris, the author of the Southern Vampire Mysteries.**_

* * *

_**Chapter 10**_

I awoke with a start, my breath ragged as I fought back tears. My mind replayed the dream over and over as I opened my tomb and exited the mausoleum. When I walked out into the night, I was met by nothing but the silence of the dead that surrounded me. Eric was nowhere to be seen. In a way, I sort of appreciated that. I needed time alone. Shutting the door, I walked over to a stone bench, looking up at the sparkling stars and the waning moon.

My heart ached as I thought about my mother. She was a drug addict my whole life and for most of hers, also. The overdosed mother trick was her favorite way to steal money from unsuspecting victims, starting when I was old enough to talk. For years, she had tricked me into stealing money for her so she could score more drugs. That day I dreamed about was a day I remembered clearly. It was the day I finally realized that what we were doing was wrong.

From that night on, I slowly began to resent my mother for the evil she made me commit. By the time I reached my teen years, I hated her. I hated her, but I loved and needed her. She never told me who my father was. I would be surprised if she even knew who he was herself. My mother was all I had and despite all the drugs, theft, and long days without food, I loved her.

That was the tragedy of my life.

When she died, she finally set me free. I was sixteen when police officers came to my high school, telling me she had overdosed at a friend's house and died before she reached the hospital. The strange and possibly terrible thing was that I did not even feel sad as I listened to the officers. I was so relieved, like I had been chained to a wall my whole life and suddenly the shackles had been removed. With her death came my rebirth.

_Yet here I sit,_ I thought miserably. _Maybe my life is meant to be a tragedy._

Heaving a heavy sigh, I stood up from the bench and began to run toward the forest and, ultimately, Fangtasia.

For the first time since I had been in Eric's care, Fangtasia was open and the parking lot was rapidly filling up with vampires and humans alike. As a human, I had never been to a vampire bar, though I knew of several in Chicago. The most famous was Bad Blood, a large vampire night club located in the center of Boystown (the gay village of Chicago). I was intrigued to see what it was like inside during open hours. I also hoped that it would somehow lift my spirits.

When I walked up to the front door, I was met by a very large male vampire acting as the bouncer. As I approached, he stopped me, looking me up and down. Satisfied that I was a vampire, he waved me through. _Huh,_ I thought, _so vampires never get carded?_ I smiled and shrugged to myself, just happy that the bouncer didn't make a scene. I didn't have any identification and I wasn't sure how to get any now. I'd have to bring that up to Eric.

When I entered the main bar area, I felt like I had waded into a sea of black. Vampires and humans alike were dressed in tight, Goth-style clothing. Several of the humans were dressed in cliché Hollywood vampire garb, seemingly unaware of how ridiculous they looked. I felt very out of place in my white shirt and skinny jeans.

Across the room, I saw a small stage with a stripper pole. A mostly naked woman was dancing on the pole, pulling herself up the pole and flipping upside-down in an almost inhuman show of acrobatic strength. Watching her from the throne-like chair was Pam, looking regal in her flowing purple top and her hair pulled up into a high ponytail. After a few seconds, Pam looked my way and, noticing me standing awkwardly by the door, she waved me over.

"How are you doing tonight, cupcake?" she asked, a seductive smile on her face.

"Fine," I said uncertainly, looking over at the stripper again. "I need…a drink."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, this one is working right now. Unless you want to wait?"

"No, I wouldn't want to catch anything," I answered, quickly looking away from the topless woman and toward the patrons of the bar. I noticed a group of three men and a woman a few feet away, each trying to look sexier than the others. All four of the people were staring at me, clearly trying to get my attention. Pam noticed them also and chuckled.

"Well, how about one of these lovely things," she laughed. I cringed, looking at the garments these humans were wearing. One of the men was wearing tight leather pants, leaving very little to the imagination. The woman was wearing a T shirt that was strategically torn to cover her nipples and little else. I quickly looked back to Pam, hoping I didn't give the humans the wrong impression.

"I think I'll just settle for a Tru Blood," I said, barely concealing my distaste.

"You are far too young to be mainstreaming," Pam said, returning to her usual bored tone. "Just take one of them out somewhere. Be discrete, though."

'Mainstreaming' was what vampires called living amongst humans without drinking their blood. The idea had become appealing to me over the past two days. First, I had almost killed a human because of the bloodlust I felt. Then, the next time I had fed from a human, it had been from Pam's plaything in the basement. I had been able to stop myself without killing her, but I had still let the hunger consume me enough to drink from a totally naked, chained-up woman. Maybe I was holding on too hard to my lost humanity, but the things I did still grossed me out. I would have completely committed to it if the synthetic blood didn't taste so disgusting.

_Tonight,_ I figured, _I'll give it the old college try._

"No, I'd rather not. I want a Tru Blood, but I have no money."

Pam sighed, not bothering to look away from the stripper, the sight of whom she was clearly enjoying. "Alright, if you insist on drinking that trash, just go get one. Chow will give it to you. And don't worry about mooching off Eric and me. We'll find a way for you to pay us back," she said, turning her face to me and winking. Somewhat stunned, I just turned and walked toward the bar, ignoring the fangbangers. As I passed, I heard the female whimper.

I spent most of the remainder of the night sipping synthetic blood, trying not to gag, and fighting off men and women looking for a vampire to have sex with. Most of the humans just shrugged and moved on when I rejected them. One man begged me to reconsider, only leaving when Chow finally intervened and told him to get out. A woman in a leather bustier actually burst into tears.

About halfway through the night, I noticed every eye in the room turn and aim at the front doorway. I turned on my stool to see Eric standing at the center of attention, looking extremely sexy in tight, black jeans and a black wife beater. I found myself staring at his muscular arms before quickly pulling my eyes away, hoping he didn't notice.

As if answering my thoughts, Eric leaned up against the bar beside me, flashing me a devilish smile.

"Like what you see?" he teased. I rolled my eyes, turning my concentration to my folded hands.

"Why are you bothering with that fake blood?"

"I'm trying to mainstream," I admitted dejectedly. "I hate it."

"Gemma, would you be so kind as to come with me?" Eric asked, suddenly turning serious. His request sounded more like a demand. "I need to speak with you."

Eric turned, walking toward the other side of the room. Instinctively, I followed. I became worried, wondering what it was Eric could want to say to me. He led me to the back of the bar, opening the door to the dungeon. He motioned for me to go through to door. I eyed him worriedly before descending the stairs.

When we had reached the bottom floor, I turned to face Eric, who put his hand on my back to lead me further into the dungeon. We reached the far wall before he turned to me.

"I needed to make sure no one would be able to hear us," he said.

"Why couldn't we just use your office?" I asked, disgusted to see a puddle of an unknown, dark substance only a few feet from where I stood.

"Sophie-Anne has had it bugged before. I was able to find and remove the bug, but I do not want to take any chances that she has left others. I know she has never been down here."

"Sophie-Anne? Isn't she the queen you are supposed to be taking me to?" I inquired.

Eric nodded. "Yes. The Queen and I have had a rather volatile relationship. She is part of the reason I wanted to talk to you."

My heart leapt. Was he going to tell me he was finally taking me to her?

"What about her?"

"I have tried numerous times to contact the Queen to inform her of your situation and get her decision on what to do next. Last night, I sent a human who often works as a bouncer for Fangtasia. I have since heard nothing from him or Sophie-Anne," he said, his face somber. There was some sort of meaning in his words I was not catching.

"Okay, so what?"

"So I have reason to believe the human is either dead or being held prisoner," he answered bluntly. My eyebrows knitted together, confused.

"And you believe Sophie-Anne is responsible?" I asked, to which Eric nodded. "Why would she do that?"

Eric looked away, waiting a few moments before answering me. "Sophie-Anne and I did some business together and now she believes I owe her some money. She is refusing to speak to me unless I first present her with the cash she is demanding, cash which I do not have."

I sighed, brushing some of my strawberry-blonde hair out of my face. "So I am assuming Sophie-Anne will not help me."

"It appears she will not," he answered softly, though it did not soften the blow. I suddenly felt trapped, hopeless that there were any chances of my return to my home. Images of my home, my coworkers, and the library I loved flashed through my mind. I began wondering if I would ever see them again. Fighting back tears, I tried to appear stoic.

"I should have figured as much," I muttered, wiping at my eyes discreetly. "What should I do now? I have nowhere to go and I know you do not want me here—"

"I am willing to offer you my help," Eric interjected, surprising me. "I will help you get a better understanding of your powers, get all your legal documentation with the vampire and human government sorted, and continue allowing you a place to sleep, until you can find a job and a place of your own. It is my duty as your Sheriff to do all I can to help. When I deem you ready to enter society, you may go where you please, whether you stay here in Louisiana or return to Illinois. You will be a free vampire and, therefore, can live where you please."

Eric's words stunned me. It was a very generous offer he was making to continue helping me, even though I was not his progeny. I was also very excited by the idea of returning to my home very soon. I knew life would be hard and I would have to find a different job, but hopefully I could return to my old apartment and a shadow of my own life. Maybe I would even check out Bad Blood.

But I knew there was something I had to do before I could return home. I could not go back to Illinois until I filled in the gaps in my memory, and that required finding those wolves. The other night, the wolves had mentioned going to Jackson. The only Jackson I knew of was Jackson, Mississippi, but I needed to find out more to make sure.

"That is very kind of you, Eric. Thank you," I said with a smile. I chose not to speak about finding the wolves. I was happier than I had been in days, I did not want to say or do anything to ruin it.

"Let's begin your training. We'll start with something simple: glamouring," Eric began, leading me toward the stairs. "I have someone you can practice on."

We walked toward the stage, Eric sitting in the throne and motioning for me to sit in a small wooden chair beside him. Uncomfortably, I obeyed. With a quick wave of his hand, Eric beckoned someone over. Turning my head, I saw a woman, clearly human, walk over. She had long, messy, dark-blonde hair and wore a mesh shirt with nothing underneath. She gave Eric and me a look that I figured what supposed to look smoldering and sexy, but fell short of the mark. As she reached the pole, I was struck by how her messy appearance and slightly shaky walk reminded me of my mother before the drugs completely swallowed her. I felt incredibly uncomfortable as she began to dance, turning my face away from her. My eyes met Eric's.

"Who is she?" I asked.

Eric shrugged. "Humans come here to offer themselves to me. I figured one of them would be an easy guinea pig. Are you ready?" he asked, his voice low. I gave him a puzzled look.

"Ready for what?" I asked.

Eric pointed at the stripper. "Glamour her," he whispered, too softly for the human stripper to hear. I looked at the stripper, who was still dancing, oblivious to our conversation. I quickly looked away.

"But I don't know how," I breathed. I was terrified, rather irrationally, of attempting to glamour this woman. Eric chuckled at me, amused by my apprehension.

"Just look her deep in the eyes and tell her what you want her to do or believe," Eric explained impatiently. "You watched me do it to the hotel clerk. Just imitate that."

Hesitantly, I stood and walked over to the stripper. She slowed her dancing, giving me a confused look as I approached. I bit my lower lip, concentrating hard on remembering what Eric did the night at the hotel. Inhaling deeply, I took the woman's chin in my hand, forcing her to stop dancing and look into my face. A worried look passed over her face as I began looking deep into her eyes, imagining I was looking into her brain. After a few seconds, the stripper's face went lax and her body very still. I knew I had her.

"Eric, I did it! I did it!" I exclaimed, nearly jumping up and down.

"Great, just don't break eye contact," he said in my ear, putting his hand on my shoulder. I did as he said, keeping my eyes firmly locked on hers.

"What is your name?" I asked, repeating what I had heard Eric say to the hotel clerk.

"Vera," the woman answered mindlessly.

"Are you married?"

"No."

"Do you have any children?"

"Yes, a little girl."

"Well, Vera, tonight was a wakeup call for you. You realized, dancing at this club, that you don't want to be involved with vampires anymore. You want to be a good example for your daughter and get an honorable job, find a good man, and get your life cleaned up. When you leave this club tonight, you will not come back."

Vera nodded, telling me that what I had said was understood. With a smile, I turned away from her, returning to my seat beside Eric's throne, where Eric already sat. Vera returned to dancing on the pole, but I noticed it was much less enthusiastic than before.

"How did I do?" I asked.

"Very well for your first time, though I wish you had not cost me a potential meal," Eric said, though I could tell by his approving look that he did not really mind. I giggled, beaming with pride in myself.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Author's Note: I'm sorry this chapter took so long. My life has gotten pretty hectic in the past week. My job isn't giving me enough hours, so I've been job hunting like crazy, which has so far turned up nothing. It's been stressful, but writing this story has been helpful in getting me through it. I hope you guys like this chapter!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own Gemma Leland and part of the plot associated with her. The rest of the plot and characters belong to Alan Ball, creator of True Blood, and Charlaine Harris, the author of the Southern Vampire Mysteries.**_

* * *

_**Chapter 11**_

The euphoria of my newly-revealed ability quickly faded, and I was once again reminded of the mystery I needed to solve. For the remainder of the night, I sat in Fangtasia, obsessing over my next move.

I went over what I knew. The werewolves had kidnapped Bill Compton and tried to attack Sookie Stackhouse, also. They knew who my maker was and may have had something to do with me being 'brought over' as a vampire. Before I rose, something happened to my maker and, somehow, I was able to get away.

That was the part of the mystery that bothered me the most. If the werewolves had wanted me so badly, it did not make sense that they would leave my grave unattended, especially so close to when I was supposed to wake.

When I rose, I recalled, the sky was completely black, so the sun had set quite some time before. Some vampires, as I understood, rose somewhat earlier. Not when the sun was still up, but rather shortly after sunset, when the sky was still a lighter navy color. This meant there could have been some time, possibly half an hour or so, between my maker's rise and mine.

I began to wonder if my maker had been dragged out of the grave, or instead, if he or she had gotten up of their own free will.

This conundrum consumed me for the remainder of the night. In the wee hours of the morning, Fangtasia closed and the few patrons that remained filed out the door. I stayed to help clean up a bit, but as daybreak approached, I grew incredibly tired, nearly unable to function. Eric and Pam got into his Corvette and, bidding them farewell, I took off toward Bon Temps. I was thankful for the few minutes of solitude my run to the cemetery would elicit.

By the time I reached the mausoleum, I knew the only way to answer my question was to return to the last place I wanted to visit. Somewhere in that grave, I believed, was a clue that would tell me what happened in the time between the sunset and my awakening.

As soon as I lay down in the tomb, I fell into a death-like sleep, biding my time until the sun set.

The second my eyes were open, I was running out of the mausoleum and out into the night. I had to somehow find my grave. Even with my ability to remember directions with minute precision, it would be difficult to find the grave. The woodland between Shreveport and Bon Temps was enormous, nearly impossible to navigate even with a compass and a map. I had gotten extremely lucky that first night.

Evidently, somebody had been watching over me that night.

I remembered that after I dug myself out, I had sprinted to the highway, which was only a mile or two away, give or take. The first thing I needed to do was find that road and retrace my steps.

After a few minutes, I emerged in Shreveport. I weaved my way down the streets of Shreveport, quickly finding the sign for Highway 71. I followed it out of the Shreveport city limits, out into the Louisiana wilderness. Excitement coursed through me when I found the first sign I saw that first day. _Shreveport, 5 miles_ it said in big white letters, exactly the same as that night. I had not been far from that sign when I emerged on the highway. I ran for a few seconds before steeling my nerves and turning into the woods.

The familiar panic of my first night of vampire existence filled me as I ran. I was scared that some of the wolves may have still been in those woods and they would find me as soon as I walked into the clearing. I listened carefully as I ran, hearing no sounds of voices, crackling fires, or anything else indicative of a presence in the woods. This did little to ease my worried mind.

The trees began to thin slightly. I slowed down to a walk as the clearing came into view. My chest felt tight despite my lack of heartbeat. I came to a stop, tempted to turn around and run away. I knew that was cowardly, though. So, drawing strength from within myself, I took a tentative step out into the clearing.

The grave was exactly how I left it. Thankfully, there had been no rain in the past few days. There were two long indentations in the earth, mine on the left, my maker's on the right, with a sort of wall separating the two. I got onto my knees, staring at the open wound in the earth. Before me was the place where I had transformed from a human into something entirely different; something alive, yet somehow dead. It felt sacred, yet repulsive.

It took several minutes to pull myself out of my trance. Shaking my head, I began digging through the dirt for any foreign objects. In my section, I felt worms, rocks, and clumps of dirt. Nothing was out of the ordinary. I turned my attention to my maker's side. I looked at it with reservation. Though I did not know what had happened to him or her in that time before I awoke, somehow I knew it had resulted in something terrible. It felt disrespectful to defile their grave.

_This isn't their final resting place, Gemma, get a grip._

Trying not to think too much about what I was doing, I began digging through the rest of the grave. Almost immediately, my hand met something hard that obviously did not belong there. My fingers wrapped around it, plucking it out of the ground. It was a small, heavy object caked in mud. Quickly, I picked off the mud with my razor-sharp fingernails, revealing letters and an irregular shape. In my hand was a thick refrigerator magnet in the shape of the state of Mississippi. In big, bold letters on the front was written the word 'Jackson.'

I was nearly blown backwards when I saw this item. Evidently, my maker had left me a clue about where to find the wolves and maybe even this Edgington person. I began to wonder, was my maker still alive? Was this a cry for help, a sort of S.O.S.?

Frantically, I shoved the magnet in my pocket and began digging again, hoping I could find more clues. Suddenly, near the center divider, my hand hit something that instantly made my skin burn like it was on fire. I cried out in pain, yanking my hand out and clutching it to my chest. A large burn mark marred the side of my hand, but it quickly healed itself before my eyes. It was impossible for something to be that white hot under the dirt.

There was only one thing I knew that burned vampires that severely. It had to be silver.

Cautiously, I began shifting away some of the dirt around where I knew the silver to be. I dared not touch it again with my bare skin. Thinking quickly, I pulled off my shirt, wound it around my hand, and wiped away the remaining mound of dirt. There before me were two silver chains. They were thick, giving it the appearance of a chain a person would use to tie up a strong dog. They were both short, though, like together they had been used to bind a vampire's wrists together.

I was shocked by this item. The chain proved that my maker had been a captive, indicating that I had also been a prisoner. The part that astounded me, though, was that the chain had literally been pulled apart. Part of a broken link stuck out of the dirt.

It seemed my question had been answered. In the minutes before I rose from death, my maker had broken the chains that bound them and escaped, leaving me behind.

Maybe that was the reason my grave had been unattended. Maybe the wolves were already looking for another vampire, the one who created me.

My thoughts became muddled, incoherent. The magnitude of my whole situation was falling on me and my brain could not process it all. Not thinking clearly, I wrapped the silver chain in my shirt, and clad only in my bra and jeans, began running toward Shreveport.

When I reached the Fangtasia parking lot, several eyes turned to me. One of those pairs belonged to Pam, who was standing beside the bouncer in front of the door. As soon as she saw me, she came running over, giving me a very threatening glare.

"Where have you been?" she demanded. "And why aren't you wearing a shirt?"

Without speaking, I showed her my wadded-up shirt. She gave it a strange look as I began to pull away some of the cotton cloth. A corner of the silver chain glimmered in the artificial light radiating from the building. Before I could fully reveal my discovery, Pam rapidly slammed her hand down, looking over her shoulder to see if anyone else saw. Seeing that no one was looking our way, she put her arm around me and began leading me toward the back of the building.

"We'll go through the delivery entrance," she explained as we approached the large, gray door. "That way, maybe you will not draw any more attention."

Once we were inside, Pam led me straight into the restroom. A single human woman was doing her makeup in the mirror. Pam quickly ushered her out, to which the human protested. However, once we were alone, she locked the door, turning back to me.

"Why are you walking around holding a silver chain?" Pam demanded. I walked over to the mirrors, dumping the two halves of the chain in the sink.

"I went back to my grave tonight," I answered, looking over my stained shirt. "I found that broken chain buried in the dirt. I also found this."

I pulled the refrigerator magnet out of my pocket. Pam plucked it out of my palm, turning it over in her hands. Her eyes met mine again, her face stony and expressionless.

"You think your maker left this for you to find?"

"Yes, I think they knew I was going to want to find these wolves," I answered as I leaned against the sink that held the silver chains. "And, just maybe, that is where my maker is also. Maybe this is a sort of call for help."

Incredulously, Pam stated, "Eric thinks your maker is dead."

"I know, but he can't know for sure. I need to find out. I can't just let this go. The answers to what happened in my last two weeks of humanity are out there, and I think I will find them in Jackson, Mississippi."

My head was still swimming. I put my hand to my forehead, closing my eyes and focusing on my thoughts. Somehow, I needed to get to Jackson, but I have no money and no vehicle. I heard the door shut and, looking up, I realized that Pam had left the room. In a matter of seconds, she had returned and was holding a clean pair of tight black pants, a blood-red blouse, and a new pair of red ballet flats. I also noticed she was wearing a pair of thick black gloves. After she handed me the clothes, she walked over to the sink and grabbed the silver chains.

"You better clean yourself up, you're a mess," Pam said before walking back out of the restroom.

Turning toward my reflection, I noticed I had a few smears of dirt on my face. Using hand soap and water, I quickly washed my face and arms and proceeded to tear off my dirty clothes and replace them with the new, fashionable clothes Pam had picked out for me.

With a quick brush of my fingers through my hair, I walked out to the main bar area. Pam was standing with her back to the wall, her arms akimbo, no longer holding the chains. I quickly made my way to her side.

As I opened my mouth to speak, Pam cut me off.

"Eric is never going to allow you to leave," she stated matter-of-factly. I did not answer. I knew she was right. Eric had already blown up at me for going out into the woods alone looking for the werewolves. There was no chance he was going to let me go all the way to Jackson in pursuit of these creatures.

But he did not understand. None of these vampires understood. The pain I felt for my stolen humanity ate away at me every waking moment. And there was no cure; I could not reverse what had happened. For the rest of my existence, I would be a monster, a creature of the night, a villain born from nightmares.

An abrupt crash punctured my thoughts. I spun around to see numerous men, heavily armed and dressed all in black, come storming through the front door. Humans all around me began to scream, running in a stampede to get away from the threat. Vampire patrons stood in defensive stances, ready for a fight. I did neither, instead standing still against the wall, completely at a loss for what to do.

I turned and looked at Pam. She stood still as stone, watching with obvious fear in her azure eyes as more vampire officers came stomping into the building. Her blue eyes turned to mine, and in a desperate whisper, she ordered, "Run."

"What?" I asked, not comprehending what was happening.

Fire filled Pam's eyes. "Gemma, you need to run. Get out of her right now. Do not ask questions, just go."

Before I could ask what she was talking about, Pam turned on her heels and was through the door to the basement in the time it would take a coin to drop.

Fear gripped me as I turned back toward the vampires. They began flipping chairs, throwing alcohol bottles to the floor, ripping open cabinets and rifling through the contents. Several stormed down the hall that led to Eric's office, some even throwing open the doors to the bathrooms. They were looking for something, but what it was, I could not imagine. What had Eric and Pam done?

"My dear, I believe it would be best if you left," came a voice from beside me. My eyes snapped over, met by the gaze of a short, bald male vampire. His dark eyes were locked on me, standing in sharp contrast against his ghostly-white pallor. He was wearing a suit and, despite his size, he looked intimidating. I thought about what Pam said and, putting my head down, I quickly made my way to the exit.

When I exited the building, I had no idea what to do or where to go. I looked back over my shoulder, only seeing the closed doors and empty parking lot of Fangtasia. I debated my next move. As I stood under the light of the street lamps, a blur suddenly ran up the street and straight toward me. Before I could jump out of the way, it had me by the shoulders.

Standing before me was Eric, looking distressed. I began to shake.

"Where is Pam?" he demanded.

"I-I don't know," I said shakily, still shocked by his swift appearance. "I think she went down into the basement."

Eric looked frightened, casting a desperate glance toward the building. His icy blue eyes turned back to me.

"Gemma, you're not safe here," he said rapidly. "Get to your cemetery, I will come find you when this is over."

Releasing me, Eric turned and ran into the bar, leaving me standing alone in the parking lot, my feet rooted to the ground. I did not want to run away, I wanted to go in and find out what was going on. I thought maybe I could help somehow.

I heard a blood-curdling scream from inside the bar. Immediately, I could tell it was Pam. My blood ran cold.

After a few nervous seconds, I spun around and ran toward Bon Temps.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Author's Note: I am very sorry about the huge delay with this chapter. I actually started writing it before I published Chapter 11, but it has caused me a few problems. This chapter is largely dialogue and I have a little bit more trouble with dialogue than action, so that in itself made this chapter a little harder than most. That, on top of the fact that I have been super busy with work, interviews for a second job, and my birthday this past week, has made my life pretty full. However, no more excuses, here is the product of my hard-work. I hope you like it and the next chapter should be out soon.**_

_**Disclaimer: I own Gemma Leland and part of the plot associated with her. The rest of the characters and plot belong to Alan Ball, the creator of True Blood, and Charlaine Harris, the author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels.**_

* * *

_**Chapter 12**_

_Eric Northman_

Sophie-Anne had sold me out, just as I thought she would.

Early in the evening, the Magister, a terrorizing little buffoon who claimed to uphold the "laws" of our kind through torture and death, had come with his minions to ransack my establishment. In the time it took me to arrive after Pam's troubling call, the heathens had torn through everything. They destroyed bottles, merchandise, and everything they could lay their hands on.

Unfortunately, they had found what they were looking for.

I had hidden a small cooler of vampire blood in my office, not thinking to hide it somewhere else or give it to Lafayette. I had been foolish enough to believe that possibly, selfish Sophie-Anne would not give away my role in the V sales, considering it had all been under her orders. Conveniently, she left that part out when she leaked the information to the Magister. But, of course, she is the queen, so to speak out against her would be treason, an offense that would result in my meeting the True Death.

He had made his discovery when I was away, so Pam faced the full extent of his rage. By the time I arrived, he had chained her up in my basement and was waiting for my presence to begin the torture.

I watched in horror as the Magister dragged the silver-tipped cane along Pam's chest, making her skin burn and peel away. Her screams pierced me to the core, making me want to rush forward and rip the despicable vampire's self-righteous head right off his shoulders. I was much older than he was, it would have only been too easy. But even with my strength, I could never have overpowered all his lackeys.

Pam, in the midst of her pain, screamed out that Bill Compton had been the vampire selling the blood. I knew the Magister would not believe this, but thinking on my feet, I did my best to convince him that I had already begun an investigation, with Bill Compton being my prime suspect.

I was given two days to find him before my progeny would be executed.

Frantic, I ran out to my car and, remembering Gemma, drove as fast as I could to Bon Temps. I had to tell her to stay away from Fangtasia while I was gone, to stay in hiding if she could.

As I drove down the highway, I could think of nothing other than how to save Pam from the Magister's clutches. To do this, I had to track Bill down. Bill had been taken by the Weres to Jackson, Mississippi, at the orders of a vampire, I had no doubt about that.

And I had a very good idea who that vampire was, but if I was going to get information and hopefully find Bill, I was going to need to put on the performance of a lifetime. Somehow, I needed to get inside and gain the King's trust so I could snoop around and find some clues while he was not looking. If I did somehow find him, though, I had no idea how I was going to get him back to Fangtasia to trade his life for Pam's.

My master plan: make it up as I go along.

As I pulled up to the cemetery, I saw Gemma sitting on a stone bench near the mausoleum. She was clutching something in her hand, turning it over in her fingers, before she looked up to see my car. I pulled up beside the entrance and threw open the passenger door, sending a wordless message for her to get in. Though it wasn't sound-proof, it was the best place to talk in the current circumstances.

She did as I wanted, bolting over to the vehicle and sliding into the passenger seat. She looked beautiful in a blood-red blouse and tight black pants, her emerald eyes locked on mine with concern. I quickly turned away.

My jaw involuntarily clenched as I stared out the windshield. Her eyes were too hauntingly beautiful for such a horrifying night.

"Eric, what happened back there? Who were those vampires?" she asked, her voice betraying fear. Sighing, I tightened my grip on the steering wheel.

"I have to go away for a few days," I muttered, ignoring her question.

"What?" she asked, though I knew she heard me perfectly.

"I have to go away, out of state, for the next few days. I need you to stay here. You must stay safe; you cannot go to Fangtasia," I warned, my head too filled with turmoil to look her in the face. "Do not draw any attention to yourself."

"This is because of what happened at the bar," she stated. "They have Pam, don't they?"

I hung my head, unable to speak. That was all the answer she needed.

"Where are you going?"

"I have to go to Jackson," I answered shortly, already weary of the questions. I was wasting time sitting in that car, not flying to Jackson as fast as the machine would take me. "Now, you need to go. Stay in Bon Temps as much as you can. Do not go to Fangtasia under any circumstances."

"I am not going anywhere," she answered stubbornly. "I am staying in this car. Take me with you to Jackson."

I turned and glared at her, shocked by her demand. "Absolutely not."

"Jackson is where the werewolves are from. I am going with you," she answered obstinately.

"How do you even know that?" I challenged. She knew more than I had hoped.

"I heard the werewolves in the forest mention that they had to return to Jackson. I have since confirmed that information," she explained vaguely, irking me. "Now, either you can take me or I will find my own way there, but either way I am going to find those werewolves. There is no way I am staying here and waiting for you."

Fury flared up within me. I snarled savagely at her, my fangs fully extending with a click as I leaned in, nearly nose to nose with her. Gemma jumped back, looking frightened. "You will not threaten me, Gemma, if you know what is good for you."

"I am not threatening you, Eric, I am promising. You are going to Jackson. That is where I need to go, too. I will stay out of your way and I will not let anyone know we are affiliated at all. Please, make this easier on both of us and take me with you," she begged. Her face was imploring, filled with immense desperation. She looked so pitiful, so full of despair, it tugged at my heartstrings. I wanted to tell her no, it was too dangerous, she could never survive.

I wanted to tell her that I could not let her go. But the words would not leave my lips.

I glared at her for a few more seconds. I was wasting precious time arguing with her, time I could not afford to give up. With a huff, I retracted my fangs. Wordlessly, I turned back toward the windshield and put the car in gear.

"I cannot believe I am doing this," I growled to myself. "You will not make me regret this. Both of our lives are on the line."

We both sat in tense muteness as I drove out of Bon Temps. My mind was screaming at me to stop and kick Gemma out of the car. I cared too much for her, I could not throw her to the wolves, literally and figuratively. She had no idea what she was getting into.

_She is going to get to Jackson whether it is with me or on her own,_ I thought. _At least, this way, I can try to watch over her and keep her safe._

"What happened in there?" Gemma asked softly, breaking the silence. I contemplated ignoring her question again, but it seemed she would keep asking until I finally answered.

"The Magister raided my establishment," I explained angrily.

"Magister?" she asked.

"A self-righteous maniac, a relic from vampire history, who enforces our laws with incredibly archaic violence and torture," I grumbled, gripping the steering wheel so hard, I was amazed it did not break into pieces. "He claims I have been selling vampire blood, a crime punishable at the least by extraction of my fangs, and at most, True Death."

A look of realization washed over Gemma's face. "Is that what was in those vials?" she asked, catching me completely off-guard. I nearly swerved off the road. My eyes, filled with fire, shot to her.

"When did you see those vials?" I demanded, my temper beginning to rise again.

It became quickly apparent that she realized her mistake. Shaking, she answered, "When I accidentally fell into your filing cabinet, I saw the cooler. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have looked inside. But I promise I did not say anything to anyone."

I fell into an enraged silence. Staring at the road ahead of me, I tried to calm myself. Risking a glance over at Gemma, I saw that she was staring out the windshield, her body pressed back into the seat. Her light red hair looked like fire against her white skin, lighting up her skin, falling in front of her vibrant eyes. She looked terribly lost and broken.

I could not stand to see her that way. Huffing a sigh, I began to speak.

"The Magister has arrested Pam in an attempt to light a fire under me. He has given me two days to find Bill Compton or he will kill her. Pam is my progeny, my child," I breathed, trying to hide the emotion behind my words. "I cannot let anything happen to her."

"Bill Compton is Sookie's Bill?" warily she asked.

"Yes," I answered flatly.

"Why do you need to find him?"

I paused. "He was the one selling the V."

"Then why was it in your office?"

I lost control of my anger. "Stop asking questions!" I shouted, slamming my fist into the steering wheel, eliciting a sharp crack from the plastic. A fracture now cut through the top of the wheel. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Gemma nearly jump out of her skin, huddling back into her seat as if she could escape from sight. I immediately felt guilty.

"I do not like that you are scared of me," I said softly, wearily. I could feel her surprised stare on my face, but I did not meet it. "It is just…the last thing I want to do is put you in more danger than you are already in. You are already walking into a lion's den against my wishes, but I cannot stop you. I will not place my own peril on your shoulders, also. The less you know, the better."

Deep quiet followed while we both began to digest the severity of our situations. The engine roared as I zoomed down the highway at breakneck speed. I turned onto the interstate, flying by cars at an unbelievable speed. At that point, I did not care if a police officer dared to give chase. He would never catch me.

Gemma turned toward me, her body language and expression drenched in calm vulnerability. "Will Pam be okay?" she asked.

I tensed. The truth was I did not know if Pam would survive. The Magister had given me two days to return, though I wondered if I would be able to find him in that time. I had a suspicion that the king of Mississippi had hired the werewolves to kidnap Bill Compton, but there was no hard evidence. There was the possibility another vampire had hired them, or, even less likely, that they had done it for their own purposes. The only reason a Were would want to kidnap a vampire would be for their blood and it did not make sense that they would travel all the way to Louisiana just for a kidnapping and draining. And even if the king had kidnapped Bill Compton, I had no idea of what his motive could be. There was also the simple fact that if he was keeping a hostage, it seemed unlikely that anyone would admit to knowing he was there, let alone where exactly he was hidden.

But I could not tell Gemma that.

"She will be if you do exactly as I say," I declared sternly. "I am fairly certain of where I will find Bill Compton. The vampire king of Mississippi lives in Jackson on a large, lavish property. He is well-known for hiring Weres to guard his estate during the daylight hours. If werewolves from Jackson have something to do with you being brought over, that is the place to start. You will need to listen without being seen, heard, or smelled. That means you should stay in the woods surrounding the mansion."

"Where will you be?" she quickly inquired, sitting up in her seat.

"I will make my presence known. I need to talk to Russell Edgington directly if I will be able to find the information I need."

"Wait, Edgington?" she interjected, her whole body turning to face me. "He is the one who hired the werewolves to come after Sookie."

I looked at her, stunned. "How do you know this?" I questioned levelly.

"When I went to find the werewolves in the forest, I heard them mention that name, that he wanted Sookie unharmed. They also mentioned that they couldn't do anything else to make him mad because they had already lost a vampire. I assume they meant me."

That was enough to confirm what I already suspected. So it really was Russell Edgington who had sent for Sookie and Bill. And it seemed he also knew about Gemma, but the extent of his involvement in her situation was beyond my comprehension.

It seemed every answer rendered three more questions.

"So you think Russell Edgington is the one behind all of this? The kidnappings, the wolves?" she asked.

Cryptically, I answered, "It would seem so."

"And you are willing to face him in order to save Pam?"

I nodded sadly. "Yes, I would risk anything to save her."

"I did not realize you cared so much for her," she answered softly, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"She is my progeny. I have a duty to her, I must do anything I can to save her," I answered, looking over at Gemma's face. Her eyes were on the road ahead. Her petal-pink lips were pressed together, as if they were damming up a river of words she did not want me to hear. With a turn of her head, she looked up into my eyes.

"When will you ever admit, Eric Northman, that you are capable of love, just like the rest of us?"


	13. Chapter 13

**_Author's Note: So I finally got a second job! Woohoo, more money! The only downside, I haven't had as much time to write as I did before. Also, because of some family problems, I haven't exactly been inspired. However, I made a 365 day challenge for myself. I will write a little bit every day for 365 days. Hopefully my story will be long done by then, but I already have an idea for an Alcide Herveaux story that I would like to start once this one is over. Anyway, hopefully this challenge will help me deal with the problems that have been going on lately. Thank you, everyone, for the awesome support I have been getting on this story, even when I'm not cranking out the chapters as quickly as I should. Hope you guys enjoy!_**

**_Disclaimer: I own Gemma Leland and part of the plot associated with her. The rest of the plot and characters belong to Alan Ball, the creator of the HBO series True Blood, and Charlaine Harris, the author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels._**

* * *

_**Chapter 13**_

_Gemma Leland_

As we came closer and closer to Jackson, I began to wish that Eric would slow down. I was getting nervous about facing the Weres, as Eric called them. I was marching into war without a battle plan and as we neared our destination, the realization began to sink in that I was risking my life in order to fill in a couple blank spots in my memory. A few times I found myself questioning if the whole venture was even worth it.

Then, I would remember the sheer terror of crawling out of that grave all alone and, suddenly, I remembered why I needed to do it.

Close to the Louisiana border, hunger for blood began to sting in my veins. Thankfully, Eric had a bottle stashed inside the car in case of emergencies, but it merely dulled my hunger rather than satiate it. I would need to find a victim in Jackson before the night was over.

Before long, the twinkling lights of the small city came into view. Tall buildings rose up from the ground like enormous trees while street lights illuminated the nearly-empty streets. It reminded me painfully of my home on the dangerous streets of Chicago, Illinois. As the car entered the city limits, I began to wonder if this concrete jungle housed some of the same horrors I had known growing up. Could it possibly be worse? Werewolves from Jackson had traveled out of state to create me, kidnap a vampire, and chase after a human girl. It made me develop a whole new perspective on the violence and crime in my hometown. I already knew humans weren't the only killers there. Maybe there was a supernatural undercurrent I had never recognized.

I looked at my reflection in the side mirror. When I was human, I would not have been able to make out my features in the dim light. With my new vampire eyes, I could see clearly every minute detail. I could see the inhuman green of my eyes, how flawless my skin had become, how my freckles had paled, but still remained visible against the pallor. My nose, which I had broken in a playground accident when I was seven, was bent ever so slightly to the left. Before my change, I had not even noticed the difference until I was a teenager, it was so imperceptible. With my superior vision, the flaw was glaring, though it made an almost immaculate face look somewhat human.

Human, ha. There is nothing like chasing down your killers to make you realize you truly are dead.

"You look distressed," Eric said, piercing through the haze of my jumbled thoughts. My eyes met his for a second before he looked back toward the road ahead of us.

"I guess I am, a little bit," I admitted, taking a loose curl of my hair into my hands, twirling it around my fingers. Even my hair glistened in a unearthly way. "I'm just worried that one of us may not come out of this situation…you know…"

"Alive?"

"Well, I guess. Can we really come out alive if we are already dead?" I joked, trying to relieve some of the tension I was feeling. It didn't work very well.

Eric's lips turned up slightly. "'Dead' is a matter of opinion. We can walk, talk, have sex. Can one truly be 'dead' and do these things?"

I understood what Eric was saying. True, many categorize the living as having a heartbeat, which vampires do not. There are several things in this world, though, that do not fit into that category, but at still considered alive. Jellyfish, for example, do not have hearts or even brains, yet they clearly are considered to be alive.

Now there was a strange comparison.

Silence enveloped us again and I knew we were getting close to our destination by the solemn look on Eric's face. I began to wring my hands absently, my mind racing with the possibilities our venture could bring. I could leave with every question answered and every blank filled in. Then what would I do? Would I return to Shreveport, or go back to Joliet? I had been missing for weeks, so there was no telling if I even had a home there to return to. Maybe I had been determined dead.

Worse, I could die on this little adventure I had chosen. I could be captured, tortured, drained of my blood. Only Eric, Chow, and Pam, if she survived, would know the difference. No one else knew I, an orphaned vampire, even existed.

The worst thing that could happen, though, was that I leave Jackson with no answers at all.

Unexpectedly, Eric jerked the wheel and we pulled off the main road onto a dirt path into the woods. For a minute, we drove deep into the forest, the trees growing thicker and the darkness growing more eerie with every passing second. The path was so overgrown, it was nearly invisible. It was apparent no vehicles had travelled this way in a while. Hitting the brake, the flashy sports car came to a stop in between two large oak trees.

"Why are we stopping here?" I asked as Eric cut the engine. He turned in his seat, looking into my face. The moonlight shone through the windshield, casting a ghostly white light on his face, giving him the look of an otherworldly being, an angel with pale marble skin. An angel of death.

"We'll have to go the rest of the way on foot," he answered gravely. "Thankfully, the full moon has passed, so there will not be any Weres running in these woods. We should be able to make it to the king's home without any trouble. However, once we get close, we will have to part ways. Should you be discovered by anyone, fight for your life because whether the wolves or the vampires capture you, the result will be the same. If they bring you inside, I will not be able to save you. You will be destroyed, I can guarantee that. And it will not be a painless death. Rely on your abilities because you are smarter and stronger than those creatures. Remember where this car is because it will be your way back to Louisiana, whether I am with you or not."

Eric was speaking to me as if he was briefing me before battle. An icy coldness filled me as I realized that could be the last time we would ever spoke again. Tears sprung to my eyes as I looked up into Eric's face. A look of sorrow passed over him for an instant before it was replaced with his signature stony coolness. Tearing his gaze away from me, he quickly jumped out of the car. Wiping at my eyes, I followed suit.

"Are you ready?" Eric asked as I walked up beside him.

"Not really," I admitted, staring ahead of me into the darkness, "but it doesn't really matter now."

I could see Eric smirking at me from the corner of my eye. "You could always turn around and go back to Bon Temps."

My eyes turned to him, a serious look on my face. "That is definitely not an option."

Eric's expression suddenly turned very grim. "Gemma, you must be very careful."

I smiled devilishly. "You don't have to worry about me, Eric."

Opening his mouth, Eric looked like he wanted to say something more. Thinking better of it, he shook his head, turning back toward the thick trees. With a gesture for me to follow, he took off running like a deer into the darkness.

After a few minutes of running, Eric and I came to a sudden stop, several miles from our starting point. I looked up into my companion's face, terrified of the task in front of me. It felt like the fear was rippling off me in waves. With a firm hand, Eric gripped my upper arm, pulling me close to him. He leaned over so his face was close to mine. Shiftily, he looked around us for any signs of hostile witnesses.

"This is where we part," Eric stated, his voice barely above a whisper.

"How will I know if you are okay?" I asked anxiously. With him in the house and me being outside, I had no idea how we would communicate if something happened to one of us. How would we even arrange to travel back to Shreveport together?

For a moment, Eric looked thoughtfully at the tops of the trees. Then, his eyes met mine again. "I will find a way to communicate with you."

Our eyes locked for several long, meaningful moments. There were so many things I wanted to say to him, but could not find the right words. I wanted to throw my arms around him, bury my face in his shoulder, beg him to go back to Shreveport with me. But I knew that was not an option for either of us. Without warning, I put my hand on the back of Eric's neck and pulled down. He bent over slightly, his head turned to the side, waiting for me to whisper something in his ear. Instead, I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek.

With a startled look in his blue eyes, Eric turned to face me. Everything felt like it was moving in slow-motion. My lips turned up into a small, strained smile.

"Please be careful," I whispered, pulling my hand from his shoulder.

Still sporting the bewildered expression, Eric nodded, turning to the right and sprinting into the darkness.

Looking around me, I began to feel very alone and vulnerable. Since the night I had awoken a new creature, Eric had been a near-constant presence in my life. Though he was often a raincloud on my already dark existence, he had given me a sense of safety and security when everything seemed dangerous and unknown. Now, I only had myself to rely on.

I had trouble trusting myself.

Even though I was one, I only had a basic understanding of vampires and their abilities. I knew I could run fast and my sense of smell and hearing were far superior to my senses as a human, but I had never truly put them to the test. Leaning back on a tree trunk, I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, smelling the air. Several scents mingled in the air, scents of the forest. Crushed pine needles under my feet, earth, and the sap leaking from the trunk of the pine I was pressed against. However, there was one scent that met my nose, faint but unmistakable.

My mind recalled the image of the dead man bleeding on Sookie Stackhouse's floor, his throat ripped out. His glassy, dead eyes stared up at me from the floor. Clearly, I could remember his scent. Werewolf scent.

My eyes shot open. The wolfish smell I was picking up around me was faint, probably remaining from the full moon a few nights ago when undoubtedly countless werewolves and other were-creatures prowled this area in their other forms. I took another sniff at the air, turning around to determine which direction held the strongest scent. Facing west, I began slowly jogging through the foliage, careful not to make too much noise or go too fast to notice a foe close-by.

The smell of wolf became stronger as I continued running, giving me confidence that I was traveling in the right direction. After a few minutes, I saw the trees begin to thin in front of me. I slowed down, afraid of getting too close and alerting any guards or residents to my presence.

I did not have to worry. Through the trees, I could see a group of figures dressed in black, gathered near the front of the large, regal-looking mansion. Standing a full head taller than those around him was Eric, a strange smile plastered on his face. Curious, I took a few steps forward, hiding myself behind a wide oak tree.

"I am here to speak with Russell Edgington," he said, his voice was very soft and apologetic, extremely un-Eric. "It is very important that I speak to him right away."

"You are not allowed to speak to him without an appointment," one of the guards beside him said in a deep, gruff voice. A slight breeze blew my way, carrying the scents of the guards with it. Those guards were not werewolves. They were vampires.

"Please, it is very urgent. Tell him I am Eric Northman, Sheriff of Louisiana Area Five. I am looking for a missing vampire from my area and I have reason to believe he may be here."

The guards exchanged looks, unsure of what to do. Looking back at Eric, the guard who had spoken, seemingly the head of the group, wrapped a hand around his arm.

"Come on, boys," he called out to the others. "If he wants to see Russell, he'll see Russell."

A few of the other vampires chuckled, enjoying some inside-joke that I did not understand. Moving as one unit, the guards led Eric inside the mansion, shutting the doors behind them.

Eric had gotten himself inside the mansion. Phase one of his mission had been completed. I began to wonder how long before he came out. Hours? Days? Would he come out at all?

Shaking my head, I focused on my own task. I knew werewolves guarded this building during the daytime, though I had hoped a few would also be around during the night. From what I had seen, the only guards on duty at night were vampires. I would have to find some way to track the werewolves down.

I returned to the cover of the thick woods, moving slowly in the general direction of the rear of the mansion, taking in every sight and smell. Taking full advantage of my enhanced capabilities, I was able to pick up the Were scent, much stronger and more recent than the other trails. This smell was mixed with the sweet, if somewhat tainted, smell of living blood.

This Were was close by.

I bounded silently over the brush and fallen tree limbs, following the smell I had caught on the breeze. Feeling like a bloodhound, I began to pick up speed, excitement getting the better of me as I neared the source of the somewhat doglike smell. I was circling the rear of the house by this point, soon seeing the corner of a small building ahead, possibly a shed or garage.

The sound of voices made me stop in my tracks.

"Where the fuck have you been, Coot?" a voice shot out from the darkness ahead of me. Stunned, I dropped to the ground silently, scampering toward the closest hiding place I could find. As quietly as I could manage, I scuttled behind a large rock, submerging myself in a pool of darkness.

"Calm the fuck down," another voice answered, slightly more gruff, a clear Southern drawl pulling at the words.

"I've been waiting for your ass for forty-five fucking minutes. You were just supposed to put the fanger away? What did you do, fuck him?"

"No, you son of a bitch," the second man shot back. "I wanted a little hit before heading home."

"Damn you, Coot, did you at least bring me some?"

"Hell no I didn't. Go get your own."

"Goddamn it, you just had to remind me of the V," the first man muttered. A pause. "Shit. Let's go."

My vision suddenly went black. Squeezing my eyes shut, I put my hands on my forehead, feeling that distinct cracking feeling in my head.

I was getting another memory.

_Everything was dark. I could see nothing. A man was close to me. I could hear his breathing._

"_We got her all chained up, Cooter."_

_The sound of footsteps coming close to me._

"_Sweetie, you are going to taste so good when the change is finished. Come on, fanger. Let's go."_

My eyes snapped open. My memory had only been audio, so I could see no faces, but I could recognize one thing clearly. That voice. The second man's voice, I had heard it before. He had spoken to me before I was changed.

Cooter. What an awful name.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Disclaimer: I own Gemma Leland and part of the plot associated with her. The rest of the plot and characters belong to Alan Ball, the creator of the HBO series True Blood, and Charlaine Harris, the author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels.**_

* * *

_**Chapter 14**_

I remained hidden behind the rock as I processed the memory. Frustrated, I began focusing on the voices, hoping a face, or even a place, would be revealed if I just replayed those words enough times in my head. Nothing surfaced.

A soft moan was emitted from inside the small building. My ears perked up. Was it a moan of pain…or pleasure? Taking a risk, I stood slowly from my hiding place, creeping stealthily over to a thick shrub near the small building. As I approached, I realized the building was an old toolshed, painted a light grayish color. I looked for a window, something that would allow me to see inside, but there was nothing. The only way in or out of the shed was the door.

After a few seconds, a peal of boisterous laughter rang out, closely followed by the sound of the shed door opening. The two men stepped out, a disconcerting spring in each of their steps. I quickly crouched down, hoping that no sudden breeze would decide to blow my scent toward the Weres.

One of the men, an average-sized man with dark hair and a stubbly beard, pulled a small silver key out of his pocket and used it to lock the door behind them. Turning back to his companion, a slightly taller man with blonde hair and an unshaven face, he laughed again.

I had to get in that shed.

The two men walked away from the shed, heading toward the front of the house. Remaining perfectly motionless, I watched as they retreated into the darkness. Vampires were filing out of the mansion, returning to their posts on the property. Making sure no one was looking in my direction, I quickly circled around the back of the shed, out of the line of sight of the guards.

The structure looked shabby, easy to break into. However, the problem would be breaking in without alerting anyone. I reached out my hand, touching the wooden wall. I jumped back, slapping my other hand over my mouth to keep myself from crying out in pain. Looking down at my hand, I saw speckles of red all over the white palm for a second before they faded. My eyes moved up to the grayish wood. Putting my face as close as possible to the wood without touching it, I studied the surface to figure out what was on the wall that had burned me so severely.

I was shocked to realize that the paint on the shed contained silver shavings. Someone did not want any vampires to get in.

Maybe they didn't want any vampires getting out, either.

The burning hunger returned to me after my rapid healing. Though I wanted to get in the shed, I knew that first, I needed some blood. I took a tentative peek around the corner of the shed, toward the huge open property. I could see the two Weres disappearing around the front of the mansion. Looking left and right, I made sure no one had seen me before disappearing back into the woods.

I circled around the clearing , making my way toward the front of the home. There was no way I was going to let the werewolves get away without finding some way to get more information from them.

A loud rumbling caught my attention. Peering from behind a tree, I saw the two Weres sitting on a couple of Harley's. Both were wearing full leather gear and helmets, making it hard for me to figure out who was who. With another loud roar, the bikes began to move. As they began to pull away, I followed from behind the tree line. One behind the other, they drove slowly out the front gate, pulling out onto a paved country road.

For several minutes, the two men rode with no idea a vampire was following close behind them.

The trees began to thin, eventually giving way to houses and office buildings as we entered Jackson. Save for the motorcycles, the streets were completely empty and the houses were dark and silent. I knew it had to be well after midnight by that point. Looking up the street, I saw that the men were disappearing out of sight. Thinking quickly, I looked up at the roofs of the houses around me. Throwing caution to the wind, I took a running start and jumped. I landed gracefully on the roof of a small one-story house. Proudly, I gave myself a mental pat on the back. Rapidly, I took off running again, jumping from roof to roof as I strained to catch up with the supernatural bikers.

At a red light, the two men stopped, nodded to each other, then parted ways. _Shit,_ I grumbled to myself, trying to decide who to follow. Making a split-second decision, I turned to my left, jumping from roof to roof in pursuit.

The streetlights became fewer and farther between as we entered a trailer park on the edge of Jackson. I jumped from the roof of the last building, landing silently on the grass before melting into the shadows. The man slowed as the pavement turned into gravel, eventually pulling up to a blue trailer with a wooden deck built onto the side. Tool boxes and bins filled nearly every inch of the deck, leaving just enough room for the porch swing pressed against the side of the trailer. There was something distinctly manly about the home.

The Were thrust the kickstand into place as he swung his leg over. Unbuckling his helmet, he set it lovingly on the seat, ruffling up his blonde hair. As he turned to walk toward the front door, I saw my chance. Grabbing him from behind, I threw my hand over his mouth to stifle his yell as I pulled him around the side of his trailer.

The man was struggling against me with all his might, even going so far as to try to bite my hand. I knew very little about werewolves, particularly when they were on V, so I was surprised by how difficult it was to turn him onto his back to gain eye contact. It suddenly struck me that I had no idea if werewolves could be glamoured.

_Guess there is only one way to find out._

Once I had finally managed to get him onto his back, I locked eyes with the Were. I focused hard on getting into his brain, clawing at any walls he tried to put up against me. It took a great effort, but I finally saw the man's face go slack.

"Are you Cooter?" I asked softly.

"No, I'm James," the Were answered gruffly. I could feel his mind fighting against the glamour, but I used all my mental strength to hold it in place.

"So Cooter was the other werewolf that was with you?"

"Yeah, that was him."

"Where did he go?"

"He went to his place to bone his girlfriend. She just got branded as part of the pack. He's real excited about it."

I wanted to ask him what he meant, but I did not want to waste precious seconds discussing things that did not concern me. It was draining me enough as it was to keep the Were in my control.

"James, what were you and Cooter doing in the shed at Edgington's?"

"We were drinking us some V," he answered.

"From a bottle?" I knew it was a stupid question, but I was hopeful.

"No, it was straight from the source."

"Wait," I said, quirking an eyebrow, "so you have a live vampire in that shed?"

"Yeah, he's our main source of V when Edgington ain't givin' it up," he said, his brown eyes almost completely dilated. His supernatural strength, combined with the vampire blood, truly was a challenge. I knew I only had limited time to get any information I wanted.

"How can I get into the shed?" I inquired.

"You has to have a key. Only Coot's got one, which really pisses me off. The vamper belongs to all o' us, we should be able to get to him whenever we want."

"What do you mean, he 'belongs' to you?" I asked, trying not to sound as upset as I felt.

"Edgington gave 'im to us," he explained. "He's ours to drain whenever we want."

I felt like my head was going to explode. These werewolves were keeping a vampire in a shed, using him as a never-ending source of their drug. The part that really infuriated me, though, was that Russell Edgington, the vampire King of Mississippi, had given a fellow creature of the night to these dogs. He knew the poor vampire was being tortured and drained on his very property.

My concentration wavered and all of the sudden, I lost my hold on the werewolf's mind. With a few blinks, the man looked up at me, his eyes suddenly filling with anger.

"You fucking fanger bitch!" he exclaimed, lunging at me, his eyes glowing yellow. I knew he was about to change. My hands shot out, blocking his attack. My sharp fingernail caught the skin of his face, leaving a long, bleeding wound in its wake.

My veins began to burn with a sudden intensity as I saw the blood ooze down his cheek. I needed blood desperately. Even though the thought disgusted me, I knew it had to be done.

My fangs extended as I grabbed the man around the neck. Before he could begin the change from human to wolf, I plunged my fangs into his neck and began to drink.

The magical blood was sickening. I could taste the similarity to human blood, but the flavor was tainted. It was like biting into a piece of cake, only to find it was drenched in pickle juice. I wanted to pull away, purge myself of the polluted blood. However, I continued to drain the man, feeling the burning hunger dull and eventually disappear.

I pulled away, wiping the blood from my chin. As I pulled myself to my feet, the Were fell over, crumpling on the ground like a rag doll. My stomach dropped when I looked down at his lifeless form.

I had accidentally killed him.

Guiltily, I looked around again, checking to make sure there were no witnesses to my transgression. Just as before, the community was enveloped in sleep, leaving no prying eyes. I spied a shovel propped up against the trailer next door beside a quaint little garden. Grabbing it, I returned to the body, heaved it over my shoulder, and disappeared into the darkness.

I buried the body deep in the woods, a few yards away from a shallow creek. The task took longer than I would have expected in my weak state. The werewolf blood had quelled my hunger, but it did not give me the same energy boost human blood did. On top of that, it left a rather disgusting taste in my mouth.

I had a feeling I would smell like wolf for quite a while.

Once I packed in the last bit of soil, I rinsed the shovel in the creek before returning it to the place I found it. In the event somebody found the body, I did not want the shovel leading the cops to me. Or to the owners of the shovel. It mortified me that someone else being blamed for my crime came second to my own wellbeing in my conscience, but it's hard to fight one's nature.

Vampires are self-centered. I was beginning to learn that more and more as time passed.

* * *

I returned to the Edgington home, sneaking unnoticed past the guards to arrive back at the shed. Moonlight reflected off the tiny silver shavings on the walls, making me wonder how I had not noticed it before. The paint covered the whole shed, including the door, which was outfitted with a silver handle and a matching lock. The security confused me. The Weres had gone through a lot of trouble to make sure that no vampires could get into this structure, but I could not see the point. Russell had apparently "given" the vampire to his minions as a sort of payment for their services, so he wouldn't try to break in.

Maybe the guards didn't know. That seemed unlikely, seeing as the shed was not hidden and clearly not soundproofed. Whoever they were trying to keep out, it would be extremely hard for them to get in. The only anti-vampire security missing was a motion-activated wooden stake.

I examined the area around the shed as well as I could without entering the clearing, looking for anything that could help me get inside. The key would have been nice, but I was willing to settle for a crowbar, a saw, or even a sledgehammer.

No such luck. A quick scan of the surrounding woods yielded no results, either. Feeling hopeless, I looked up at the tall, stately home of the King of Mississippi. The last time I had seen Eric, he was being led into that building by the vampire guards. My insides began to flutter as I thought about Eric. I wondered if he was dead, or if he was being tortured as I stood helplessly in the woods only a few hundred yards away. If he was safe, I wondered if he would be able to save me if something happened, if he'd even try.

I wondered if he was thinking about me, too.

Shaking my head, I looked up at the sky. In the distance, it was clear that the sky was beginning to lighten. Suddenly, something struck me that I had not thought about before that moment: where was I going to sleep?

The only place that seemed remotely possible was the ground. As much as I hated the thought of returning to the earth, there was nothing else I could do. Wandering into the woods, I found an area with thick foliage, very unassuming. There was nearly no grass due to the thick cover of the trees, so it seemed the best place to bury myself without anyone noticing.

Sinking my fingers into the soil, I dug deep into the ground, making a hole just big enough for me to lay in comfortably. Sitting in the hole, I began scooping the dirt back in on top of me.

_I hope you're sleeping more comfortably than I am,_ I thought grudgingly as I finished burying myself.


End file.
